Ties That Bind
by Lee Mente
Summary: When Harry's anniversary goes awry and he's left widowed, how will survive? HP/LM slash. Will have HP/DM slash.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Ties that Bond

Warning: Don't read this if you're against homosexuality, bondage, or any of that other kinky candy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but a BRAND NEW CAR!!! It was behind door number 3. :) The story, however, is mine.

* * *

Straining, Harry ignored the sweat and blood trickling down his back to stain the pristine white sheets under his body. He kept his hips moving in a steady rhythm, fisting his hands in the soft material as a mixture of pain and pleasure keeping his nerve endings on fire. The man behind him grabbed a hold of him, bruising the delicate flesh around his waist. He groaned, arching his back as he tried to angle his body so that he could finish.

Fighting with his own body, Harry closed his beautiful green eyes and whimpered, feeling his husband FINALLY relent and hit the spot deep in his body that always made everything feel better. He gasped as his climax rolled through his body, burning from his toes to his head. He threw his head back, screaming his husband's name, knowing that it would send the man over the edge quicker. He could hear their daughter starting to whimper in the next room, and knew that it would soon be a full blown wail if the man behind him didn't hurry.

With a small sense of relief, he felt the man's warmth spread into his body just before the heavy weight collapsed onto his still bleeding back. He hissed, the salty sweat that had been on the blonde's chest rubbing painfully into the fresh whip marks. He sank onto the bed, knowing that he'd have to call his Healer again in the morning if he didn't want it to scar again.

Soft, sated kisses were pressed into the back of his neck. He gave a soft, slightly grumpy sound before he turned his head and gave the man a small peck. "I'm going to go clean up. Will you go and get Lucinda?" he asked, shifting over to the side of the bed and slowly easing his long legs over the side. He hated it when Lucius got out the whip. The blonde could never control himself when he took out that six foot long piece of leather, and he always ended up bleeding somewhere.

"Fine, if you insist, my love," the blonde said dryly, grabbing his robe from the end of the large canopy bed and heading for the door. He looked back once, his silvery eyes glinting in the firelight. He smiled softly, the ends of his full, lush lips turning up at the ends as he stared at his husband.

Raising an eyebrow, Harry pushed himself off of the bed, grabbing a hold of the bedpost when his legs threatened to give out. "Go on, you old lech, go see what's wrong with our daughter," Harry laughed, waving the man away before he headed for the large bathroom.

Unconsciously, he skirted the large table that he'd been tied to not an hour ago. The memory of the whip in his mind was too fresh. It had been his anniversary, though, and that had been Lucius's only request. With a loud sigh, he heard his daughter start to wail. He'd better hurry, Lucius had no patience after he'd had sex, and Harry knew that he'd be knocking on the door within the next five minutes.

After he'd shut the heavy teak wood door, Harry shook his head. Turing, he looked in the mirror at the angry welts that marred his back. They weren't that bad, but three of them had broken open and were now slowly leaking red streaks down the porcelain skin of his back. Sighing, he grabbed his wand from where he'd left it on the bathroom sink in preparation for tonight.

Mumbling a spell, he cleaned up and grabbed some bandages. Sighing, he reached for the first one and some tape, twisting his arms around so that he could grab the edges of the gauze. 'The things I have to do to keep the peace,' he thought with a sigh, looking into his own slightly angry emerald eyes. 'I hate arranged marriages.'

He blinked in surprise when the door opened. "Lucius, I'm not quite ready yet," he started, turning and seeing his husband in the doorway. "Let me at least get these on...."

When his husband just stared at him, the normally lively silver eyes dead, Harry felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. He'd seen that look on one too many people over the years of the war. His mind refused to accept it, though, until the blonde wizard that he'd been so intimately entwined with only moments before toppled over, revealing the ebony dagger that was protruding from his back and the blood that soaked down his white house coat.

Though he knew the man was dead, Harry leaned down anyways, touching the still warm, slightly moist skin of his husband's neck. Dread sank into his bones as he felt bile rise into the back of his throat. Without thinking, he bolted from the bathroom, vaulting over the body of his fallen husband. Someone was in his house.

Someone was in the nursery.

Just as he sprinted through the doorway to his daughters opulent room, he saw a black figure limp towards the crib where his toddler was. The cloaked figure raised a dagger above it's head, aiming straight down towards the toddler that was screaming for it's mummy and daddy. Harry didn't dare use his wand for fear of hitting his daughter, so instead he threw his still very athletic body across the room. With a rage filled scream, he tackled the slight figure before it could swing it's arm down at his daughter.

Despite the ebony haired wizards best efforts, the figure managed to wiggle out of his grip and roll away. When Harry raised his wand and pointed at the mysterious attacker in his house, the witch or wizard apperated out.

Despair welled up in Harry's soul as he reached for his daughter, grabbing her tiny, delicate body out of the crib and holding her to his chest. Tears welled up in his eyes as he grabbed her blanket, the image of his husband's shocked face swimming in front of his mind. Tossing the soft pink blanket over his shoulders, he gave a strangled sob as he rocked his daughter gently.

"It's okay, Lucinda, it's going to be alright," he whispered, trying to gather enough of his mind together to apperate to the Ministry.

When he appeared in Draco's country cottage, he sank to his knees in front of the blonde that looked so much like his now dead husband. Tears streaked down his cheeks as his daughter sniffled against her mummy's chest, her large emerald eyes wide with fear.

"What in the-" Draco started, staring down at his father's husband and setting his wineglass down on the oak side table.

"Draco, he's dead," Harry whispered, a sob breaking from between his lips as his daughter clung to him and stared up at her older brother. "Lucius, is dead..."

* * *

Okay, I'm test driving a new story, so give me all the feedback that you can on this one. :) If it goes over well, I'll go ahead and write the next chapter, if not, I'll keep it as a one shot.

Lee


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Ties that bind

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my new fuzzy bathrobe. This robe is like... better than sex. Honestly. I got it on sale marked down to 15 from 80. Anyways, I didn't create the original characters. Just some new ones. Those are mine. :P

Warning: This story will contain some explicit scenes, everything from mild bondage to homosexuality. Which means I plan to have two dudes kissing.

Rating: M for Mature content.

A/N : Just real quick before I start, I wanted to address something that one of my unsigned reviewers sent. I did mean for the prelude to this story to be a one shot. :P It was a stand alone story, but I received such an overwhelming response, and one person who threatened to stalk me ( Hi, Phoenix! ) that I decided to continue it. With that said, back by popular demand, Ties!

* * *

Raising one ebony eyebrow, Harry stared his six year old daughter down. He crossed his arms over his slender chest and refused to give in. The little blond, who looked so much like Lucius it was scary, clutched the very expensive dolly to her chest and glared back at her father.

"But Daddy, everyone else at school has one! If I don't get one, I'm just going to die!" she wailed, tears starting to fill up her wide emerald eyes.

Steeling his proverbial wool, Harry refused to back down. "Luce, we don't have the money for something like that. We have to get you some new shoes for school, and then I've got to pay the phone bill. I explained that to you the last time that we argued in this very same isle over that very same doll not twenty minutes ago," he said, steel permeating his words.

He felt the familiar ache that sat heavy on his chest every time they argued over something like this. Harry wanted to give her everything that she wanted, and knew that with the money that should have been theirs, by right from her father, he could buy the store. Unfortunately, the new govenment that he'd helped build, the Diarchy of Wizards, wouldn't accept Harry's claim as a spouse. They wouldn't even accept Draco, Lucius's eldest child, as the manager of the estate. Instead, they'd placed the Malfoy fortune in the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange.

To say that she'd evicted the two of them with less than nothing would be putting it nicely.

The fact that he'd been off the muggle radar since he'd been twelve and had started Hogwarts hadn't helped any in the job search. The only degree that he had was from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a specialization in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Not exactly something that you'd be able to list on a resume.

Taking a deep breath, he knelt down in front of her and rested his hands on her little arms. "Baby, I know you really want her, but it's going to have to wait a few more months until your birthday," he said softly, leaning his forehead against hers.

She looked down at the doll, her little heart shaped face crumpling as she put it back on the shelf. "Okay, Daddy," she sniffed, reaching out and grabbing Harry's hand as the black haired man stood.

Nodding, Harry led her over to the shoes, expecting her to extol all of the doll's virtues the whole way there. When she didn't, his eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. She even let him pick a nice, conservative style of shoes without arguing for the pink sequined ones. When, during the rest of their errands, she still didn't say anything his suspicion grew. He smiled wearily at the clerk, handing over the paper currency that would never really feel as real to him as Galleons or Knuts, and accepted his change from the bored woman.

As they hit the noisy streets, he glanced over at her angelic face to see a look of intense concentration fixed upon it. He looked at the features of the passing crowds, watching for any sign of a robed figure. After he'd been marked as Lucius's husband in Eastleigh, he'd had to hide in Fleming Park for almost a full day. Luce had loved spending the day playing hide and seek with her father from the Goblins, but Harry had been so scared for the two of them that he'd almost had a heart attack.

The first time someone had tried to kill him and his daughter, he'd just moved in to a run-down flat on the outskirts of Southampton. Someone had sent a fireball into his flat in the middle of the night.

The next time, someone had tried to kill his daughter while she was at the sitters when he'd been waiting tables at a seedy nightclub. Luce was still alive because her sitter had really quick reflexes and a very large cast iron skillet.

Time after time, he'd had to stop some psychotic witch or wizard from killing his daughter. Every wizard, with delusions of grandeur, wanted to be the one to kill the daughter of the former head of Voldermort's death eaters and the tainted savior. He'd lost countless jobs because of the assassination attempts. Sometimes, it was all he could do to leave her alone with someone because he was so afraid that he'd come back and she'd be dead.

"Luce, what do you want for dinner?" he asked as he walked her down the street towards the subway, trying to distract himself from his melancholy thoughts.

She turned and looked at him, a beautiful smile blossoming on her face. "Whatever you want, Daddy," she said, her voice honey sweet.

Harry stopped and stared at his daughter, narrowing his eyes. "What are you up to, young lady?" he asked, staring into green eyes that matched his in all but expression. His daughter had Slytherin eyes, and the look in them now was almost as calculating as the look her father had given him the day he'd been asked by Lucius to marry.

With a dramatic sigh worthy of any actress, she rolled her eyes. "Come on, Dad, let's go home. I'm hungry," she said, tugging on his hand.

Raising an eyebrow, he nodded and allowed her to pull him through the gates of the Metro.

As he boarded the train, he sat down next to his daughter and covertly looked the other passengers over. He looked for anyone who seemed in the least bit familiar. He shifted uneasily in his seat, crossing his feet at the ankles and pulling his daughter even closer to his side. All of the instincts that he'd honed over the years of being attacked over and over again by the most powerful wizards that had walked the face of the planet since Merlin were screaming at him that something was wrong.

He'd learned to listen to those instincts.

When the train screeched to a halt at his station, he pulled his daughter off the Metro and moved through the crowds. His steps were slightly hurried as the hairs on the back of his neck started to rise. He knew that he was being watched, but he couldn't see anyone that seemed out of place. Most wizards had a hard time blending into normal society, but there was always the possibility that his attacker or attackers could be muggle-born.

"Luce," he said quietly, pulling her faster as he all but made her run towards their house. "When we get home, I want you to go directly to my room and hide under my bed. Don't come out until I tell you our secret word." Fear for his daughter blossomed cold and hard in his chest as he glanced behind them, not seeing anyone on the empty street, but knowing that didn't really mean anything to the people from his former life.

Wide, frightened green eyes stared up at him as she kept pace beside him. "Daddy, I'm scared. Is something wrong?" her voice wobbled slightly, but her steps never faltered as she broke into a trot when they neared the small flat that they had called home for the past six months.

"Don't worry, baby. Everything's going to be fine. Just do what I say. If anything happens to me, take the silver box that I keep next to my bed and find a man named Remus Lupin. He'll take care of you," he said quietly, adding a silent, 'If he's still alive' to his statement.

When they reached the door, Harry swiftly unlocked it and pushed his daughter in, diving in just as a bolt of green light shot over his head. "Run!" he screamed, slamming the door shut and pulling his wand out of the small pocket he'd sewn into his coat. He watched his daughter sprint down the hallway just before he heard something slam against the door with bone jarring force.

Quickly, Harry cast a ward spell around the doorway and backed away. He dove behind the couch as bolts of energy were slammed into his ward. Peeking from the couch he watched the dark figures moving behind his lacy curtains before they shot out the street lamps. As his wards started to fail, the ebony haired wizard swallowed the bile that was burning up his throat. There were too many of them for his ward to hold.

Harry flinched when the door was blown off its hinges. Before the dust could clear, Harry was stunning as many of the wizards as he could. Five went down before a sixth smarter wizard shot a bolt of red light towards his hiding place, causing the couch to erupt in flames. Harry rolled out from behind the flaming piece of furniture, stunning as he ran towards the hall that led to the tiny bedrooms.

Angry curses sounded from his attackers as they spotted him and started to shoot curses and stun spells towards his retreating figure. Harry dodged one bolt after another as they started to set the flat on fire, smoke filling the hall and setting off the fire detector above his head. Adrenaline flooded his system as he threw himself backwards, thanking god that his body hadn't changed too much after the rather difficult birth of his daughter.

He back flipped down the hallway as they sent bolt after bolt of red and green light down the narrow space after him. Turning his last flip into a roll, Harry dove for the bed where his daughter was hiding. "Emerald," he hissed in Parseltongue, grabbing the silver box that he kept next to his bed and firing a red bolt towards the doorway.

Lucinda dove for him, tears streaming down her face. She caught Harry around the knees as he opened the box, activating the port key that he'd had made a few years ago. He grabbed her jumper just as they were sucked out of his room.

An enraged bellow followed them, ringing in Harry's ears before they were dropped in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry was haking slightly from the magic that he'd used and from the adrenaline that was still pumping through his system. Kneeling down, he drew his daughter into his arms. He held her tightly to his chest as she gave a few soft coughs.

"You're so brave, Luce," he whispered into his hair, pulling away so he could check her over for any damage. When he saw her wide green eyes staring at him with horror, he felt his heart break. "Come on. We're going to go in here and get something to eat, okay? Keep being my brave girl for just a little bit longer and whatever you do, stay next to me."

When she nodded mutely, he took a firm grip on her hand and tucked the now used portkey under his arm. He headed into the tavern, tugging at the hem of his once beige vest nervously. He hadn't been anywhere near a wizarding establishment since he'd started to run with his daughter, and the irony of him hiding in the hub of London gossip was almost enough to make him laugh out loud.

He pushed through the medium sized crowd until he could motion to the bartender. "I need a room for the night," he said to the ancient man who squinted at him.

Harry felt the skin on his back crawl with anxiety before the man grunted and slid a room key across the counter. "It's ten Galleons a night, plus meals," his gruff voice grated out, as he picked up a rag and began polishing a glass.

"Thank you," Harry said, opening the now used box and pulling out ten large coins. He dropped them on the bar and grabbed the key, heading towards the stairs with his daughter's hand firmly in his own.

They'd almost made it there before one very drunk wizard sloshed fire whisky down Harry's shirt. Turning and giving the man his coldest glare, Harry looked him up and down. "Excuse you," he said, stepping away from the man that smelled like three day old socks and looked like he hadn't had a bath in a month.

"See here, we don't serve muggles here," the man said, pointing a finger at Harry and reaching for the wand that was hanging from his belt.

Before Harry could even blink, a pale, slender hand shot past his head with a beautifully carved wand clutched loosely in its grip. "I think you want to apologize to the gentleman," came the deep voice near Harry's ear.

Shivers ran up and down Harry's spine as he slowly turned to see the speaker, knowing by the feeling of dread mounting in him, exactly who it was

* * *

Tada! Here it is! The second installment. Let me know what you think! I love reading reviews. Thank you to all of the people who reviewed the one shot that started all of this. :)

And a special thanks to my new beta, Phoenix. :)

Lee


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Ties that bind

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my new fuzzy bathrobe. This robe is like... better than sex. Honestly. I got it on sale marked down to 15 from 80. Anyways, I didn't create the original characters. Just some new ones. Those are mine. :P

Warning: This story will contain some explicit scenes, everything from mild bondage to homosexuality. Which means I plan to have two dudes kissing and then some. ^_~

Rating: M for Mature content.

* * *

Harry ignored the man standing menacingly in the corner of his room and kissed his daughter softly on the cheek. "Good night, Luce," he said, making sure his face was peaceful as he smiled at her.

"Good night Daddy," she replied as her eyelids drooped slightly.

Shaking his head at the resilient ability of children to sleep through anything, Harry turned from the bed and took a deep breath as he walked over to the remnants of their supper. He kept his eyes downcast as he cleaned up the dishes, setting them back on the tray before he carried it over to the dumbwaiter. Carefully, he set them down on the squeaky contraption.

As he closed the door and heard the tell tale squeak of the ropes as they lowered, he heard a soft rustle of cloth as his 'Saviour' pushed off the wall.

"We need to talk," the warm voice whispered, keeping quiet so that he didn't wake the almost asleep girl on the bed.

Licking his dry lips, Harry nodded. "We do," he replied, turning to face beautiful blonde. He was struck suddenly, by how much Draco had matured to look just like his father. The two of them had the same air of arrogance about them, the same confident posture, even the same sneer on their sensual lips. The only difference between the two, though, was the look in their eyes.

While Lucius had always had a very calculating, cold look to his eyes, Draco had more life to his beautiful eyes. The silver wasn't steely; it was molten, almost Mercurial, as they shimmered from behind the man's dark golden eyelashes.

Those beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as Harry walked over to the seating area. He tilted his chin up a notch and motioned towards the seating area. "Please have a seat," he requested, reaching into his robes and pulling out his wand.

Draco rose an eyebrow but did as he was bid, lowering his slim body to the battered leather recliner. He watched with veiled interest as Harry cast a silencing charm around the seating area, one that they'd perfected during their school years. "I see you haven't forgotten everything," he snorted, lacing his fingers together across his tailored robes.

Feeling slightly shabby next to the perfectly groomed blond, Harry let his eyes narrow. "I haven't forgotten anything, Draco," he replied. "And thank you for your help in the tavern tonight."

"You're welcome," he replied automatically. His gaze left Harry's face and looked towards the fire as he pursed his lips. "We all thought you and Lucinda were dead. Where have you been for the past three years?"

Trying not to wince at the accusation in Draco's voice, Harry looked down at his hands and sighed. "Here and there," he replied, fighting the urge to fidget under the blonde's sudden scrutiny. "After Bellatrix gave us the boot, Luce and I had to fend for ourselves. We've been living in the UK. Mostly the South."

Staring at the black-haired wizard, Draco's temper rose. His cheeks grew slightly flushed as his hands flexed slightly. "So you've been living here for this long without a word?" he asked in a deceptively calm voice.

Harry's ire rose as he looked into Draco's eyes. "And what would you have done if I had told you where we were? You would have brought even more trouble down on us than we already had. People know you, Draco. If I'd let you come and see us, you would have brought them with you," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

One blond eyebrow rose. "Are you calling me a traitor?" he hissed, his hands balling into fists.

"No, Draco. You wouldn't do it on purpose, but I couldn't take the chance that you'd be followed. I couldn't put Luce in that kind of danger," he replied, motioning towards the bed where his daughter rolled over in her sleep and sighed quietly, the sound distorting slightly through the bubble he'd placed around them.

Scoffing, the blonde stood up and started to pace in front of the fire. "That's a really crappy excuse, Harry," the blond replied.

Narrowing his emerald eyes, Harry crossed his legs and glared. "Like you really stood up for us when the Diarchy ruled against me," he growled, his hands clenched into fists.

Draco whirled around and strode over to the wizard, towering over Harry. He leaned down, trapping the wizard in the chair with one arm braced on either side of his body. "You mean the government that YOU created? Real bloody brilliant idea there," he growled as his silver eyes bored into Harry's.

Emerald eyes flashed as Harry's muscles locked tight. "Get out," he hissed, refusing to flinch away from the invasion of his personal space. His heart hammered in his chest as his body started to warm. He could smell the mix of Draco's aftershave, soap, and shampoo. The spicy smell mixed together and invaded Harry's senses.

"No," Draco growled, his shoulders hunching slightly as he leaned down so that he was on eye level with the other man.

Harry's hands balled into fists as he stared Draco down. "Get the hell out of my room," he replied, forcing his voice to be cold and hard. He leveled his best Dad look at the blond.

"I'll be back," Draco threatened, pushing off the chair and standing. "Now that I know you and Luce are still alive, I'm not going to let you go so easily again."

Scowling, Harry stood up and waved his hand in a slicing gesture, releasing the spell that had sheltered their argument from his daughter's sleeping ears. He just stared at Draco angrily as the blond walked to the door and left, slamming it behind him. As the door shut, Harry felt all of the wind go out of his sails and he sank to the chair.

He took a shuddering breath buried his face in his hands, letting the tears that he'd kept locked deep inside out. The last time that he'd seen Draco had ended just as badly. It was one of the reasons that he'd avoided the blond so hard since then. Draco just didn't know when to accept a no.

~~Flashback~~

"Back the hell off, Draco," he growled, crossing his arms and sticking his hands into his arm pits so that he wouldn't be tempted to reach out and touch the blond.

"Or what?" Draco challenged, enunciating each word very slowly.

Harry sucked in some breath as he felt the blonde's hand stray down the front of his shirt, his fingertips barely skimming over the silky fabric of his pyjamas. His body hardened painfully in anticipation as Draco's fingers hovered just over his silk clad body. Involuntarily, his hips twitched forwards. When Draco's fingers brushed over his sensitive skin, his eyes started to flutter closed before they snapped open.

"No!" he moaned softly, pulling Draco's hands off of his body and ducking under his arms. He backed away from the blond towards the fire place, trying to put enough space in between the two of them for him to breathe.

Draco stalked him across the silky wood of his guest room's floor, ignoring everything except the black haired man that was running from him. His silver eyes were molten as they roamed over Harry's body. When his prey finally backed into the wall, Draco didn't waste any time, gently grabbing Harry's hands and pinning them over his head. He leaned down, nibbling on the tender skin of Harry's neck.

When the wizard's knees started to sag slightly, Draco bit into Harry's neck before he slipped his free arm around his father's widow's waist. "Wrap your legs around my waist, Harry," he said, letting go of his prey's hands and slipping his hands under Harry's hips and lifting him off of his feet.

As the boy's legs circled his waist, Draco's breath hitched in his throat. He leaned on Harry, pinning his shoulders to the wall as he continued to torture the soft skin of Harry's neck. When gentle, insistant (insistent) fingers buried into his hair, he shuddered and captured Harry's lips with his own.

Harry's lips tingled where they were pressed against the blonde's. He gave a soft whimper as his body came alive under the skillful hands of the Malfoy in his arms. It had been almost five years since he'd last kissed Draco, and all of his pent up desire was roaring through him like a freight train.

Panting, Harry turned his face away. He shivered as Draco pressed him harder against the wall, grinding their hips together. "D-Draco," he stuttered, laying a hand flat on the man's chest. "Nn... We can't." He arched his back as he felt the blonde's hand trail over the scars on his silk clad back.

Draco's finger's paused, tracing over the very sensitive skin around the whip marks from the night of his father's death that hadn't healed right. He nibbled up Harry's neck, scraping his teeth over the boy's skin to wring more moans and sighs from his beautiful lips. "Why not?" he whispered into Harry's ear before he gently sucked on the lobe.

Harry's hips bucked against Draco's as his body begged for more attention. "Because.... Because," he started, whimpering when the blond's hand slid down his back to the waistband of his trousers. He tried to form a coherent argument, but his mind refused to function.

"Just give in," Draco whispered into Harry's ear as he reached for the boy's drawstring.

"No," Harry whimpered, reaching down and grabbing Draco's wrist. "No, Draco just hold on a second." He pulled the blonde's hand away from his body again.

Panting, the blonde shifted Harry's weight, pinning him harder against the wall and grinding their lower bodies together. "Do you really want me to stop?" he asked quietly.

Shoving back his hormones, the raven haired boy nodded mutely pressing his lips together and turning his face away from Draco. As he was lowered to the floor, Harry gripped the wall behind him and tried to lock his knees. He lowered his head so that he didn't have to look at the breath taking boy in front of him. If he did, he knew that he'd be lost and he'd end up doing something that they'd both regret tomorrow.

"Draco, please go," he whispered, his voice low and husky even to his own ears.

Growling softly, Draco buried his face into Harry's shoulder. "He's dead, you know. He isn't going to be able to come between us anymore," he whispered softly, slipping his arms around Harry's waist and holding him gently.

Rubbing a shaking hand over the mess that was his hair, Harry sighed. "I know, Draco," he whispered, smoothing his hands over Draco's back. "I just... I can't do this right now."

Nodding into Harry's neck, Draco pulled back slightly. "Then let's just go to bed, Harry," the blonde's husky voice made Harry shiver a little bit.

"Okay," he replied, needing the comfort of a warm body next to him.

The next morning he slipped out of Draco's warm arms and quickly took a shower. He'd succumbed sometime around midnight to Draco's insistence and his body felt deliciously content. Tears leaked out of his eyes as the warm water pelted his sensitized skin. There wasn't anything keeping them apart now except him...and the memory of his dead husband; Draco's father.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he shut off the water and dried himself off. They had been evicted yesterday from the manor and he knew that soon, their enemies would track them here. The only way he could keep all of them safe was for him to take his daughter and run.

Swiftly, he dressed in his warmest clothes, layering a little thickly. As he packed silently so Draco didn't wake up, his gaze kept straying to the bed where the blonde was sleeping. He knew that if he crawled under the covers, he would be protected to Draco's last breath. He would never have to worry about where his next meal would come from; he would be able to have someone else take care of everything.

Grabbing his suitcase, he looked longingly over at Draco's face. He would miss that blonde.

* * *

Okay, I know it's listed as a Harry/ Lucius. Don't flame me if you don't like Harry/Draco. Tis all a part of the grand design, my little chickadies. :D

Read, review, let me know what you think. If I haven't gotten back to your review yet, forgive me. I tend to post quicker on stories that have reviews as opposed to ones that don't.

And a special thank you to my Beta Phoenix for putting up with all of my bad grammar and spelling!

Lee


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Ties that bind

Disclaimer: I own nothing, know nothing, hear nothing, and see nothing. :) Well, I do own the plot... such as it is.

Warning: This story will contain some explicit scenes, everything from mild bondage to homosexuality. Which means I plan to have two dudes kissing and then some. ^_~

Rating: M for Mature content.

* * *

Harry unwrapped the unappealing chicken salad sandwich from the wax paper and sighed. With his eyebrows pinched together in concentration, he laid his head down on the table to get an eye level view of the mystery sandwich.

He could have been eating a warm, rich bowl of his home cooked stew. Unfortunately, he was stuck with this because his Tupperware had gone up in flames along with the rest of his flat.

Stupid wizards with their stupid wands setting fire to his stupid fridge.

He lifted the plain, slightly soggy white bread and eyed the chunks of meat dubiously. His eyes narrowed as he poked at the lettuce that was wilty and slightly brown around the edges. The full lips on his face pursed as he debated whether or not to eat it. It looked mostly safe, and it had cost him six Euro's for the sandwich, a bag of chips, and a cup of coffee.

The door to the break room opened, letting in the deafening noise of the machinery that ran twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Harry glanced up from where he had laid his head on the table to get a closer look at his sandwich. He saw two men in dark suits slide through the door, their faces scrunched up as the noise buffeted their sense. They shook out their coats and nodded to each other, turning to scan the faces of the employees that were having their lunch.

He sat up in his chair, reaching for his bag of chips and tried to look inconspicuous. His heart rate picked up as the men started towards the small metal folding table where he was 'enjoying' his lunch. Butterflies started to flutter through his stomach as he forced his hands to remain steady while he opened the bag and brought a chip up to his lips.

"Harold Potter?" the taller of the two detectives asked, stopping next to his table.

Chewing, Harry glanced up before he took his sandwich in his hands. "Yeah?" he asked, taking a bite of the sandwich and wincing inwardly. This was the worst chicken salad that he'd ever tasted.

"I'm Detective Roberts, this is Detective Jacobs," the man started, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a black leather wallet so that he could flash Harry his badge.

Freezing in mid chew, Harry blinked wide emerald eyes up at the man. His heart froze as his daughter's face flashed through his mind. "What can I help you with?" he asked through the buzzing in his ears. He was surprised at how normal his voice sounded, because it felt like there was an elephant sitting on his chest.

"Sir, I've come to inform you that your residence has been burned to the ground," the man said, grabbing a chair from a neighbouring table and settling into it.

Relief so great that Harry's eyes started to water rushed through him. He set down his sandwich and reached for the one tiny square of a napkin that the shop had seen fit to grace his bag with. With shaking hands, he wiped his clean mouth to give himself a few seconds to get control of his emotions. "My flat? I haven't been home since yesterday after work. My daughter and I stayed at an Inn last night to celebrate my birthday," he replied in a choked voice.

Blinking over at his partner, the cop gave him flat, emotionless eyes. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, sir. The inspectors think that it might have been arson. Do you know anyone who might have had a grudge against you?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.

'Shall I write you a list?' Harry thought grumpily. 'We could start with the entire wizarding community and work our way to my Aunt who's been institutionalized for claiming her husband and son disappeared in a flash of orange light. Luce always was a little over protective of me.'

"Not really," he replied, forcing himself to keep his expression neutral.

Nodding, the detective pulled out a pad and a pen and jotted down a few notes. "And your daughter's name is Lucinda?" he asked, glancing up at Harry with a questioning look on his face.

Blinking, Harry leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, it is," he replied, suspicion in his voice.

"You wouldn't mind if we visited her, would you? Just to make sure that she's alright, of course," the man said, giving Harry a fake smile.

"Not without me," he replied, standing up and grabbing the remnants of his lunch. He tossed the sandwich in the garbage, not really mourning the loss. He looked back to where the detectives were getting to their feet. "Let me just tell my boss that I have to go and I'll meet you out front."

Detective Roberts smiled his fake, plastic smile at Harry. "We don't mind coming with you," he said, moving towards the door and holding it open.

Swallowing, Harry nodded and marched past the man. He hoped his boss was in a really good mood. Otherwise, he'd never be able to get the afternoon off.

His lithe form danced through the other workers as he made his way to the office where his boss was currently holding court, all of the pretty, blonde women in the factory hanging on the toads every word while he soaked up their attention. He'd hated this man since the first time he'd walked into his office and had seen a pair of red heels peeking out from under his desk and had heard the tell tale sucking noises.

The man reminded him a lot of his Uncle Vernon when he'd been alive. He was fat, obnoxious, and liked to lord his authority over the employees.

Clearing his throat when he walked into the room, Harry braced his arms in the doorway and tried to ignore the soft squeak that came from under his boss's desk. "I need the afternoon off, Mr. Jenkins," he said loudly so that he could be heard over the roar of the yarn weaving machine.

"What do you think this is? A spa?" his boss replied, sitting upright in his chair as his face flushed to a rather ugly tomato red.

Taking a deep breath, Harry gripped the door frame slightly tighter. "My flat was bombed last night. I need the afternoon off," he repeated, slightly louder. "The police are here to take me to my daughter."

The man's sausage like lips stretched into a sneer. "I always knew you were more than a little criminal," he said, slicking back his oily hair.

Taking another deep breath, Harry opened his lips and then shut them. He pushed off the doorway and spun on his heel, ignoring the stares of the detectives as he headed towards the exit. He could always get another job. Hopefully, his next job would have a better supervisor.

His boss stumbled out of his office, sputtering curses as he tried to zip the zipper of his trousers up. "If you don't get your ass back here, you're never working in this factory again!" he yelled, shaking his fist in the air.

Scowling, Harry turned around and flipped the aggravating man the bird. He wished that he could hex that slob into oblivion, but with so many witnesses around, he knew it would call the attention of the Aurors, and when they figured out that it was him he'd be brought before the Diarchy of Wizards.

They'd sentence him to death.

Feeling horribly unsatisfied with nothing more than the rude muggle gesture, he turned back to the Detectives and nodded. "Well, I have the afternoon off," he muttered, leading the slightly shocked men out of the factory and onto the street below it.

* * *

Harry's face lit up when he saw his daughter squeal and run across the playground, a little boy chasing her with a handful of mud. His smile warmed every part of his face, thawing the severe expression that usually sat on his beautiful features.

He glanced over at Detective Roberts, his smile still very warm. "Let me just go and let her teacher know that she's probably not going to be back for the rest of the day," he said, blinking his heavily lashed emerald eyes at the startled man. "Two minutes."

Trying to stay out of his daughter's line of sight, he jogged over to the matronly woman that had been observing the children play with a content expression on her face. She'd always reminded Harry of Molly Weasley before the war had broken out and she'd been forced to watch as half of her family killed.

Shaking off his melancholy thoughts, Harry gave her a warm smile. "Ms. Julie, how lovely to see you again," he said, holding out his hand.

Smiling at him, the woman enveloped his hand within her own.

"Mr. Potter, what a treat! To what do we owe the honour?" she asked, squeezing his hand for a few moments before she let it go.

Harry schooled his expression into what he hoped was one of concern and worry. "The police said that my flat burned down last night," he said, pursing his lips as the woman's face crumpled in shock. "I need to take Luce home with me."

The older woman pulled him into an unexpected hug, catching Harry off guard for a few seconds before he patted her awkwardly on the back.

"Oh, how horrible!" she said, sighing and patting his shoulder. "Luce is just over there. Please let us know if there's anything that we can do for you."

Nodding, Harry gave her a warm smile. "Thank you, Ms. Julie. I'll let you know tomorrow when I drop Luce off," he replied, looking around the playground and spotting a flash of platinum curls.

As he quickly walked over to where his daughter was playing, he ignored the stares of both the Detectives and Luce's teacher. He had to warn his daughter that the Detectives were going to ask her about what had happened last night. If she started saying things about her father shooting bolts of lightning out of his stick at men in black cloaks, he'd be detained further- the less attention that he drew from the government, the better.

Quickly, he ducked around a support pole for the swing set, winking at one of his daughter's playmates as the girl started to open her mouth. He held a finger up to his lips, shushing her just before his daughter ran past.

With Seeker reflexes that had saved his skin more times than he could count, he snatched her off of the ground and spun her around. Her face was startled for a second before she squealed and opened her arms. When her tiny arms closed around his neck, he felt his heart clench painfully in his chest.

"Daddy!" she cried, locking her legs and arms around her father.

Grinning, Harry kissed her cheek and started walking over to the detectives. "Baby, those men are here to ask you some questions. I want you to tell them that you and I went into town last night for my birthday," he whispered softly into her curls, his lips barely moving. "I'll explain it later, Poppet, but you have to tell them a fib for me. Do you understand? After we went shopping, we went to the Inn. Okay?"

When his daughter squeezed his neck and blinked up at him, the smile fading slightly from her face, he kissed her cheek again. He knew he was within earshot of the Detectives now, so he chose his words carefully. "But after you talk to those nice men about what we did for Daddy's birthday, we can spend the rest of the day together. I don't have to go back to work today," he said, jiggling her slightly on his hip before he walked up to the detectives.

"Luce, this is Detective Roberts and his friend, Detective Jacobs," he introduced. "They're going to ask you some questions, alright?"

The Detective gave his daughter a smile that would have fooled most people, but Harry could see the unpleasant, suspicious personality lurking beneath the surface. The shorter wizard's emerald eyes narrowed slightly as Luce buried her face into his shoulder, pretending to be shy. He set her down gently, grabbing her hand and stared at the brunette with cold eyes.

"Hi, Luce, how're you?" the detective asked, crouching down in front of the blonde.

Luce looked up at her father, her wide green eyes blinking at him. He nodded, giving her an encouraging smile. "Its okay, Luce," he said, giving her hand a squeeze before he looked around the playground. Harry hated being out in the open for this long, but he didn't really have a choice with the Detectives eyeing him so closely.

Looking over at the detectives, the little blonde girl fixed them with a stare that was the exact duplicate of Harry's. "I'm fine," she said softly, plucking at her new pink jumper. Harry had bought it for her this morning on the way into school, letting her pick out the frilly one that she'd wanted forever even though he'd told her no more than once. It had made her happy to have, and besides, he could always make more money.

"Luce, I just want to ask you some questions about last night. No one's in any trouble, I promise. There was an accident, and we need you to answer us honestly, alright?" he said, glancing up at Harry.

Nodding, Luce's grip on Harry's hand tightened and the wizard felt his heart start to race as he watched his daughter stare at the detective. He'd never wanted to have this kind of life forced on his child, and for the millionth time, he cursed the black figure that had stolen her life away from her. Heaven help that person if he ever got his hands on them.

"Alright," her angelic voice said from next to his side.

"Is it okay if we go and sit over there on that picnic table?" Roberts asked, looking between the two of them.

Nodding, Harry gave his daughter a warm smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sure. Come on, Luce, let's go and sit down," he said, following the two suits over to the child sized table. He felt a small, sadistic sense of pleasure as he watched the taller men try to fold themselves onto the child sized seats.

"Did you go out and have fun with your Daddy last night for his birthday, Luce?" Roberts asked after he'd folded himself onto the seat that Harry silently hoped gave him a wedgie.

"Yup," she replied, fidgeting with the ruffles on her new skirt.

"And what did you do for your Daddy's birthday?" he asked, tilting his head curiously and folding his hands on the table top.

She glanced over at her father before looking back at Roberts. "We went shopping, but Daddy said that we couldn't get the doll that I wanted because I needed some new school shoes. She's really pretty, with hair just like Daddy's and blue eyes like my Uncle has," she said, glancing up at her father who blinked at her.

Harry's blood ran slightly cold as his daughter mentioned Draco. The Malfoys were notorious for being off the radar, despite all of their many holdings. He knew that the blonde would be beyond angry if his name was brought up to the Muggle authorities. His eyes widened slightly as he stared down at Luce.

"Your Uncle?" Roberts asked, pulling out his pen and flipping open his notebook and calling her attention back to him.

"Yup, we had dinner with him last night at the Inn that Daddy and I spent the night at. I didn't get to say good-bye, though. Daddy said that it was my bedtime and I had to go to bed," she said, blinking wide, beguiling eyes up at the Detectives.

Harry's heart picked up as Roberts' partner looked over at him suspiciously.

Roberts gave her a smile that reminded Harry of the song 'Aqualung' before he glanced up at Harry. "Really? What's your Uncle's name?" he asked, looking back at Luce.

"Uncle Draco, I think. He's really pretty," she replied innocently. She gave the man a disarming smile before she looked up at her father.

After jotting it down, Roberts looked over at Harry. "What's Draco's last name, if you would?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at Harry.

Licking his lips, Harry debated on wither or not he and his daughter could escape before he sighed internally. "Malfoy. His last name is Malfoy," he replied, reaching out and taking his daughter's hand. It's not like they'd be able to track Draco down in the phone book or anything. He'd be long gone before they tried to track him down again.

Following the nervous gesture with intent eyes, the Detective nodded. "Draco Malfoy... Is Draco his real first name or an alias?" he asked, jotting notes quickly.

"His real name," Harry replied, forcing himself not to fidget under their intense scrutiny.

"And do you have a number where we can reach him?" Detective Jacobs asked, breaking his silence for the first time.

Blinking at the high, slightly feminine voice that issued from the man's mouth, Harry shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. We've been out of touch for quite a few years. We just happened to be staying in the same Inn. Now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take my daughter home to see if anything can be salvaged from our flat," he stated, dismissing the men as he gracefully rose to his feet and drew Luce to his side.

"I understand completely, Mr. Potter. If you should think of anything, just give me a call here," Roberts said, handing Harry a white business card with his name, rank, and extension on it.

Nodding, Harry took the card and smiled again. "I will. If you'll excuse me," he said, keeping his hands to himself as he walked casually across the blacktop. He blinked as he realized that the playground was empty of the children that had been running and playing only seconds before. Harry had been so caught up in the interview with Detective Roberts and his partner, he'd missed when Ms. Julie had herded her class back inside for their afternoon lessons.

Licking his lips, he disappeared around the corner of the building before he swung his daughter up into his arms. "Thank you, Luce," he whispered, kissing her cheek as he lengthened his step to cover more ground.

"Daddy, that man wasn't very nice," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding on.

"I know, Poppet, I know. It's okay. I don't think we'll be seeing much more of him," he said with a weak smile.

Sighing, she laid her head on his shoulder, her silky curls tickling the skin on his neck and ear. "Daddy, do we have to move again?" she asked, her voice very quiet.

Nodding with a heavy heart, Harry sighed and shifted her weight. "I'm sorry, Luce," he whispered, a hard lump forming in his throat as he fought back tears. His daughter deserved better than this, and it just wasn't fair that he had to put her through all of this.

* * *

Harry ducked into an alleyway, tugging Luce behind him minutes before the uniformed policemen raced past. He held a finger up to his lips, hushing his daughter needlessly. Panting, he looked around the hard brick walls and thought frantically. He shifted his grip on his wand, anger still running thick through his veins.

He couldn't believe that wizards had tried to take him and his daughter in the middle of the afternoon! The gall of the men who had begun shooting stun spells and curses at him in front of a square full of Muggles was amazing to him. Either they had the backing of the government, or they were very stupid. As he leaned his head back against the brick, Harry assumed it was both.

"Come on, Luce. It's just a little bit farther," he breathed, looking down at his very frightened daughter and inwardly wincing. She was trembling and panting, her hair plastered to her forehead and her beautiful new jumper ripped along one of the sleeves.

Poking his head quickly around the corner to see if they were still being followed, he reached down and pulled her into his arms before heading towards the nearest Tube entrance. He kept glancing nervously around himself, knowing that they were still in great danger. "Do you remember who I told you to go find if anything happened to me?" he asked his daughter as he hustled down the concrete steps.

"Remus Lupin," she replied. Her voice trembled as tears leaked down her cheeks and her arms tightened around his neck. "Daddy, why are those men trying to hurt us? What did we ever do to them?"

He nearly stumbled as her words pierced his heart. Harry quickly fished a few Muggle coins out of his pockets and popped them into the slot before he pushed his way through the crowd waiting and headed towards the schedule that was posted along the wall.

When the right train pulled up to the platform, he shifted his daughter from his right arm to his left so that he could ready his wand. He ignored the curious stares of the other people there as he stepped into the train, scanning the crowd to look for any signs of pursuit.

Blending in with the late afternoon crowd, he ducked through the compartments until he reached the back of the long train. He sank onto a seat, holding Luce close to his chest.

Harry pursed his lips as his daughter looked up at him with pain in her eyes. "It has to do with the work Daddy did before you were born," he said softly, turning in his seat and settling down for a long ride.

"But why are they mad at us?" she asked, her voice quivering as a fat tear trailed down her face.

Pulling her against his chest, Harry sighed. "Hush, love. It'll be alright," he sighed, closing his eyes as he held his shaking daughter tighter to his chest. He only had one place left that he could go, but it was almost as big of a risk as staying on the streets for the night.

* * *

Tada! The end of Chapter 3!

My thanks to Ali for her help on all the little details that I've bugged her for. :) And, as always, thank you to my Beta, Phoenix, for all of her tireless editing. You rock my socks.

Reviews make the world go round! Let me know if you're enjoying it.

Lee


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Ties that bind

Disclaimer: I own nothing, know nothing, hear nothing, and see nothing. :) Well, I do own the plot... such as it is.

Warning: This story will contain some explicit scenes, everything from mild bondage to homosexuality. Which means I plan to have two dudes kissing and then some. ^_~

Rating: M for Mature content.

*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

//Flashback//

Lucius sighed and rested his hand on the middle of Harry's back. "You could at least try to look happy. This is supposed to be our wedding day, after all," he said dryly. The blonde gave a very small, slightly smug, smile as another well wisher waved to them from the crowd.

Harry's serious green eyes were focused on the back of the huge Malfoy ballroom. He took a steadying breath and tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace than anything else. "I'm here, aren't I?" he replied quietly, letting the corners of his mouth return to their previous position. He blinked rapidly as the crowd continued to celebrate this farce of a wedding.

Raising an eyebrow, Lucius slipped an arm around Harry's waist and drew the very unresponsive boy closer to his side. "I can hope that you'll be more responsive on our wedding night," he mumbled into the messy raven hair on top of his new husband's head.

Scowling, Harry jerked away from the blonde. "Excuse me?" he hissed, fire burning in his deep emerald eyes. He ignored the wizard that was brave enough to approach the two of them to personally offer his well wishes.

Lucius, however, made a point of engaging the man in conversation. "Thank you," he said with a smile, his silky blonde hair slipping over the shoulder of his perfectly tailored dress robes.

"Who would have thought?" the man said, grinning and swaying slightly as he clutched a glass of excellent Malfoy champagne in his hand. "The Savior of the Wizarding World and its biggest Bad Boy." He laughed, throwing back his head and almost tipping himself over.

Harry's hand reached out to steady the man, grabbing hold of his sleeve and bodily hauling him forward a bit. He blinked as Lucius gently took his hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the knuckles.

"What can I say?" he said, staring intently into Harry's eyes. "I've been enchanted by his beauty." His pale silver eyes were slightly warmer than they usually were, causing Harry to hesitate as he pulled his hand away from the tall man.

Laughing again, the man toasted them and stumbled off to join the rest of the crowd of well wishers. Harry watched him go before he looked down at his hands. He clutched a hold of the railing, his knuckles turning white as he held on.

"What do you mean by 'Wedding night'?" he asked not able to make his voice any louder than a whisper.

Blinking, the older blonde wizard rested a hand on Harry's back. "We are married now, after all," he said with a certainty that made Harry's blood run cold.

Butterflies fluttered through Harry's stomach, making it roll just enough to make the champagne that he'd sipped earlier sour. "If you'll excuse me," he said quietly, stepping away from his new husband and pushing his way through the crowd, desperate for some air. He could feel the air disappearing from the room as the walls seemed to close in on him.

Harry ignored the press of people, keeping his pace as normal as he could before he reached a deserted corridor. Once he was in the clear, he sprinted, his athletic young body blurring past the paintings and elegance of what was to be his new home. A single tear escaped from his eyes, rolling down his cheek in a hot, moist line before he even knew he was crying.

A shudder ran through his body as he shoved his way out of double French doors at the end of the hallway, not quite sure where they lead to. He grasped his chest as he struggled to breathe. Panic welled up inside of him as he slammed the doors behind him, trying to keep his demons at bay. His vision blurred behind his glasses as the hot, salty tears burned their way out of his eyes.

Sinking to his knees, the 'Boy Who Lived' buried his face in his hands and wept.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he'd known that this was what was going to happen when he would marry. He knew that Lucius would want to consummate their marriage. They would share a life together and he'd known that eventually he would have to share the man's bed. Harry had pushed it to the back of his mind during the preparations, fittings, contract signings, and all of the other numerous ceremonies that went along with a wedding to a man as rich and powerful as Lucius was.

After everything he'd been through, every pain and humiliation that he'd had to suffer, he didn't know why the idea of giving himself over to Lucius was so horrible. The man was attractive, still in his prime, wealthy, and was powerful enough to make sure that he wouldn't have to worry about anyone coming after him in retribution for the death of Tom Riddle.

Besides, Lucius didn't seem like a cruel man, by any means.

Their marriage had seemed good on paper. The celebration of their vows had started the healing process for the Wizarding community, giving everyone a solid foundation to build on. It had been the reason that he'd agreed to this farce in the first place. When it had been suggested, he'd laughed in Mad Eye Moody's face.

They'd worn him down, though, and Harry had agreed just before he'd been released from the hospital. It would be just one more sacrifice in a long line of things that he'd had to lose to the 'Cause'.

Hiccuping softly, the wizard pulled his glasses off of his face as he drew his knees up to his chest. He swiped at the tears that were running down his cheeks. The bones that had been broken while he was in the 'Tender Mercies' of the Dark Lord ached slightly as the cold seeped through his ridiculous dress robes. Deep down, he knew it was foolish for him to be sitting out here, freezing his butt off while his reception was in full swing inside, but he just couldn't bring himself to face all of those people again.

Through his blurred vision, Harry looked up and wished that the heavens could hold some answer there. He wished desperately that he had someone to talk to that he could trust, but most of his friends and family had died saving him during the years it had taken for him to gain enough power to defeat Voldemort. The ones that hadn't died had either gone insane or had turned their backs on him when he'd announced his wedding to Lucius Malfoy. None of the living would accept that he was doing this for the greater good.

An intense wave of sadness washed over him as he thought of the only family that he'd ever really had. Sirius, though, hadn't been there today. He was dead. Sirius had been the first to go, taken during his fifth year.

Fred and George had gone next, dying together in his sixth year as they defended a group of Hogwarts students from Death Eaters in Hogsmeade. They'd fallen side by side, taken out of the world the same way they'd come into it.

During that same year, Snape had been taken under an Imperius curse and had tried to kill Harry during Astronomy. Despite how hard he'd fought the man, Harry had been disarmed in mere minutes. Thankfully, Dumbledore had gotten to them in time. The elderly wizard had been forced to kill the Potions Master, ending the life of one of his greatest allies.

Harry could still see the look of relief that had washed over the man's face as he'd died and had been released from his life of lies and pain.

Ron, Hermione, and Neville had all died during the final battle. The three of them had battled valiantly against the Dementors that had surrounded Voldemort's castle, distracting them just enough for Harry to get a hold of a wand.

As they died, he'd killed the Dark Lord using Peter Pettigrew's wand.

Bill, Charlie, Luna, Cho, Fleur, and almost everyone that he'd been close to had either died or been driven insane by the terrible things that had happened. Even Mrs. Molly Weasley, the strongest of them all, had folded at the loss of her family. She'd been in St. Mungo's since she'd been told that her only daughter had died, and they weren't holding out any hope that she would ever come out of the stupor that she'd fallen into.

Harry felt fresh tears well up as he felt the slivers of his heart twinge. He was alone, completely and utterly.

The door to the inside opened, letting the warmth of the hallway escape in a wash of air as a tall, blonde wizard stepped out onto the balcony. Sighing, the man closed the doors and walked over to the balcony, resting his hands on the railing. His shoulders were relaxed as he braced his feet against the ancient stone as if preparing himself for battle.

Lucius lifted his face to the sky, shaking back his long, silky mane of blonde hair. Harry knew that that Lucius had come to get him. Nothing escaped the blonde's attention. Harry hiccuped softly before he could catch it, feeling a blush creep it's way over his face. He hadn't ever wanted to cry in front of anyone again.

With a sigh, the blonde lowered his chin to his chest, letting the silky strands of his hair slide forward. He reached one long, elegant hand up and brushed the hair away from his face. Harry swiped at the moisture that still pooled in his eyes before he slipped back on his glasses, feeling better when the world came sharply into focus once again.

When he stood up and shook his robes out, the blonde wizard turned around and studied Harry by the faint moonlight that was beginning to light the grounds. His silver eyes missed nothing as he looked the boy carefully over. He pushed off of the railing and slowly walked towards Harry, his steps careful and measured.

"How long were you in his dungeons?" he asked quietly.

All of the air seemed to get sucked out of Harry's lungs as the memories that he'd pushed back threatened to break out. He forced them back and lifted his chin slightly. He refused to show any weakness to this man.

"A month," he replied calmly, reaching up to push his glasses higher on his nose.

With a sigh, Lucius reached up and cupped the side of Harry's cheek. When the raven haired wizard tried to pull away, Lucius let him. "Harry, come here," he said softly, holding his hands open.

"No thanks," the boy said quietly, taking a step back against the cold stone of the wall.

The blonde wizard's eyes narrowed before he took a step forward. He rested his hand on one side of Harry's head, blocking the double doors. "Harold Malfoy," he whispered, leaning down until he was on eye level with his newest spouse.

Harry felt his heart beat faster as the wizard leaned closer to him. He swallowed, his eyes going wide behind his glasses as he felt the warm breath ghost across his face. Memories of the pain and humiliation that he'd suffered tried to force their way to the front of his mind, but he pushed them back viciously. That was over, and he refused to let them rule his life.

Slowly, Lucius's silver eyes slid closed. He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to Harry's forehead. The raven haired wizard tried to suppress a shudder, but couldn't quite keep it in. When the man did nothing more than press his lips against his forehead, he slowly opened his eyes pulled back so that he could look up.

The blonde didn't say anything, staring down into Harry's emerald eyes. He slowly reached up and brushed back a piece of Harry's bangs, stroking his hand along the boy's cheek until he cupped his chin. Harry was sure that Lucius would kiss him, but it didn't happen.

"I will never force you into something that you don't want," the blonde said quietly. He slipped his arms around Harry's body and tugged him close to his chest. Harry inhaled the spicy, slightly sweet scent that had been tickling at his senses all day.

Swallowing, the boy tried and failed to remain tense in his husband's arms. As the seconds passed and the man didn't try to press their embrace any farther, Harry reached up and rested his hands on the man's chest.

Pushing back slightly, Harry leaned back and stared into Lucius's eyes. "I need time," he said quietly, forcing his voice to remain steady. He hoped that Lucius would understand.

Nodding, the blonde wizard let his hand slide down Harry's back until it rested on his lower back. "Take your time, Harry, just remember that you are now a Malfoy, entitled to all the responsibility and privilege there in," he replied with a very grave expression.

With a nod, Harry stepped to the side and out of the blonde's arms. "Let's go and finish our reception, Mr. Malfoy," Harry said quietly.

Sighing, the man reached for the doors and drew them open. "I told you to call me Lucius, Harold," the man replied with a raised eyebrow.

"And I told you not to call me Harold," Harry replied, wrapping his arms around himself to ward off the chill that had suddenly crept up on him the moment he'd stepped away from the strong presence of his husband.

"Touche," the man replied with a sly smile.

// End Flashback //

*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Harry watched the play of the lightning over the ceiling. It seemed rather appropriate that his first good night's sleep should be soured by the notorious London rain. He sighed and looked around the very elegantly furnished room. His daughter slept peacefully next to him, cuddled against his side. Her tiny hand clutched onto the family crest embroidered above his breast pocket.

Once again, he was in Malfoy black and green with their crest marking his body. All of the decorative pillows scattered around the room had that same crest on it. The bed was a huge king sized affair made of white ash with green silk hangings. When he'd picked out the furniture for the master suite at Grimmauld, he'd almost had a mild heart attack at the price that had been quoted, but Lucius had just taken the bill from him and signed it.

The whole place had been refurbished using the Malfoy fortune, but Lucius had let him keep sole control over the title. They hadn't even put it in the marriage contract. His late husband had told him that this was to be his own little cottage in the city where he could get away from it all. He'd wanted no part of the ownership, even when Harry had offered it to him. The blonde's excuse had been that he'd never liked the previous owner.

This house had been part of his inheritance from Sirius.

With a gusty sigh, Harry slid out of bed and padded towards the bathroom. With the storm still raging outside, there was no way that he was going to be getting any sleep any time soon. He flipped on the light and rubbed his hands over his face before he looked into the mirror.

Red rimmed emerald eyes looked back at him from a face that looked careworn and tired. His full, pouting lower lip was in the process of entertaining his eyeteeth without his knowledge. The deep black of his hair was still unmarked by grey, something that amazed him on a daily basis with as much worry and hardship as he'd endured. He was still a very handsome man. Had he been there, Lucius would have told him to get some sleep and sent him back to bed with a scolding for not taking care of himself.

Shaking his head, Harry stripped and stepped into the shower. There were a million things that he still had to do today, the least of which was to secure another job for himself and figure out how he was going to get his daughter into another school today.

Leaning against the wall, he thumped his head back onto the tile. He wished desperately that he could talk to someone about everything, but the only person that he could talk to was probably very angry at him right now. As the steam filled up the bathroom, he stared out across the room at the mirror. Vaguely, he could see the outline of the bed and his daughter sleeping quietly in it.

Harry could also see the door to the main house open and a dark figure enter the room.

Adrenaline flooded Harry's body as his eyes darted to where his daughter was sleeping. He dropped down silently, making his way over to the door of the shower and easing it open as quickly as he could. Harry then proceeded to duck-walk, quickly, over to the doorway.

The dark figure walked over to the bed and grabbed the covers. When Harry saw a pale hand reach out and touch his daughter's cheek, he saw red. He jumped up and darted across the room just as the cloaked figure's head whipped around to face him.

Silently, Harry's foot lashed out, scoring a direct hit on the solar plexus of his attacker. When whoever it was doubled over, Harry grabbed their head and slammed it down into his knee. He heard the slight crunch of bone breaking, and felt intense satisfaction roll through him.

As whoever it was fell, Harry kicked them once, viciously, in the ribs. He ignored the pain that shot up his leg from his bare foot as he leaped on what he assumed had been the person that had killed his husband and had been about to kill his daughter.

Sitting on his attacker's chest, Harry reached into the hood and grabbed a hold of his attacker's ears. Before they could recover, Harry slammed their head into the hard wood of his floor until they stopped moving, grateful for once that the storm outside had covered the noise from his battle with the unknown person.

Panting, Harry kept a hold of his attacker's ears until he was sure they weren't going to move anymore. Slowly, he backed away from the limp figure on the floor and grabbed his pants. He glanced over at the bed, grateful that his daughter was such a heavy sleeper. She hadn't even stirred once during the entire encounter.

Once he had his pants on, he poked at the cloaked figure with his foot. When it didn't move, he nodded to himself and grabbed them around the armpits. If his daughter woke up with some strange person beaten on her floor, she would freak.

Grunting softly, Harry slowly dragged the body out of his room and into the bedroom across the hall. He dropped them unceremoniously in the middle of the room before, panting; he leaned down and ripped the hood from the figure's head just before a loud crack of thunder exploded through the house.

*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Gotta love cliffies!

For the next chapter, I have a few options written out on how it could go, but I'd like to hear your opinion. Review and let me know who you think should be under the mystery cowl. :) Whoever gets the most votes, gets the honor of having seen Harry N-A-K-E-D.

Thanks, as always, to my Beta, Phoenix for putting up with all of my horrible spelling. :P You're the greatest!

Lee


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Ties that bind

Disclaimer: I own nothing, know nothing, hear nothing, and see nothing. :) Well, I do own the plot... such as it is.

Warning: This story will contain some explicit scenes, everything from mild bondage to homosexuality. Which means I plan to have two dudes kissing and then some. ^_~

Rating: M for Mature content.

*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Harry thumped one of the few heavy mugs of tea down on the table in front of the man that was sitting, holding onto his head with both hands harder than he needed to. He felt malicious pleasure as the man winced and reached out with one pale hand to grip ahold of the heavy creamtic mug.

"I don't know what the hell you think you were doing up there, but you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Harry yelled, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning his hip against the counter. He shook his short hair back away from his face and scowled at the man sitting at his table.

Blaise scowled up at him and rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head gingerly. "You didn't have to hit me so hard!" he complained, wincing and bringing his hand back away from the large lump on the back of his skull.

"You're lucky I'd left my wand on the nightstand," he growled, stabbing a finger in the air towards the boy. "How dare you sneak into my house and touch my child!" Spots of color bloomed on his cheeks as he tried to reign in his temper.

Holding up his hands, the man leaned back. "Calm down, Harry," he said, his voice soothing even as his eyes went wide with fright. "I wasn't going to hurt her, I swear. It was more shock than anything else. It's not like I've seen her in going on four years! She just looked so much like Draco and Lucius."

Scowling, Harry held up and hand to forestall anything else the boy was going to say and took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. After he had control over his temper, he looked back at the former Slytherin and lowered his hand. "What the bloody hell were you doing here, Blaise?" he asked, his voice deadly calm.

Licking his lips nervously, Blaise took a slow drink of his tea. "When you left, Draco made sure that the wards were set on this house so that if someone entered, it would let the two of us know. One or the other of us is always in town taking care of the company business," he replied, setting the mug down gently. "Since I was here, I told him that I would check on it for him."

Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Harry's body stiffened even more. "What business?" he asked, suspicion darkening his green eyes.

Blaise looked over at Harry and let his eyes roam over the boy's scantily clad body. "Harry, has something been happening to you that we should know about?" he asked, his chocolate eyes full of concern.

Uncrossing his arms, Harry turned to the fridge and opened it, looking in and making a mental note to run to the market for some necessities. He should have some muggle notes hidden upstairs. He heard the bench scrape back and he looked back over his shoulder to see the boy's eyes locked onto his back. Raising his chin a notch, Harry turned with the peanut butter that he'd found in there and set it down on the counter. "It's nothing you should be concerned over," he said firmly, keeping his back turned away.

The brunette stared at him, worry darkening his chocolate eyes. "Look, whatever's going on isn't really any of my business. Draco, however, isn't going to let it drop so easy," he said, reaching up and rubbing the band-aid that had been slapped over his formerly broken nose. He took another sip of his tea, closing his eyes in pain.

"Where is he now?" Harry asked, licking his lips and grabbing a package of crackers out of the cupboards and a butter knife before sitting across from the boy and cracking the jar of peanut butter. It had been one of the only foods that he'd been able to keep down when he'd been pregnant, and he'd never lost his fondness for them.

Blinking, the brunette shook his head and pushed his chair away from the table. "Oh no," he said, holding up his hands and shaking his head. "I'm not getting in between the two of you. I'm going to say thank you for the tea, get out of here, and aparate back to my flat so that I can wash the blood out of my favorite dress shirt."

Keeping his eyes on the cracker that he'd been slathering with peanut butter, Harry took a deep breath. "You know, Blaise, no one else knows the key to the wards here except you, Draco and myself. If ANYTHING happens to my daughter while we're taking out little holiday here, I'm going to hold you personally responsible," he said, his voice soft. He looked up at the brunette and let all of the emotion bleed out of his eyes and face until empty, cold features stared out. He'd known Blaise for years after his marriage to Lucius, even genuinely liked the boy, but he wouldn't hesitate to defend his daughter.

Swallowing, Blaise nodded and backed towards the door. "Sure, Harry. Nothings going to happen to Lucinda from my end," he said, his eyes wide with fear and panic.

As the brunette fled, Harry's shoulders sagged. He rubbed the back of his neck tiredly before he shoved the cracker in his mouth and went to finish his shower. Hopefully, Lucinda would stay asleep for another twenty minutes at least so he could finally enjoy the hot water.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Harry wiggled his eyebrows at his daughter and danced nimbly around the table that was between the two of them. "I'm going to get you!" he teased, reaching across the small end table in the hallway and poking her gently in the shoulder. Another crack of thunder shook the house, but the two were oblivious to the sounds of the storm raging outside.

It had been the first time in too long that they'd been able to just play.

Squealing with delight, Lucinda darted around the table, showing off her own speed as she launched herself at her father. "Tag!" she yelled, tackling Harry to the floor and giving him a wet, sloppy kiss before she darted away. Her pink ribbons flew behind her as Harry leapt to his feet and bolted after his daughter, laughing so hard his stomach hurt.

Against his better judgment, he'd shown her the magical wardrobe and let her pick out her own clothes for the day. It had made her smile to see the clothes that her imagination could come up with brought to life. She'd changed four times that day already, and Harry had indulged her. It was just clothing, after all and if it put a smile on his daughter's face after the nightmare they'd just gone through in the past few days it was worth it.

The jumper that she currently had on was made entirely of pink silk, the flamingo fabric acting like a beacon in the slightly dim interrior of the house. It had ribbons laced through the hem and neckline, securing bits of white lace to the obnoxious fabric. It had a set of matching hair bows and the ribbons fluttered behind her whenever she moved quickly. It was frilly, obnoxious, and way beyond anything he would willingly have bought for her. Harry was just glad that Lucius couldn't see her in it. He would be properly horrified at the color and frills on it.

When his daughter darted towards the stairs to the second floor, Harry heard a soft tinkling sound on the first floor but he ignored it. He was intently focused on chasing down the squealing angel running from him. Letting her get a few stairs ahead of him, he darted from one side to the other, crouching low to the ground before he lunged for her and slipped an arm around her waist and kissing her cheek softly before he set her down.

"Tag!" he yelled, feeling his heart warm at the sound of her happy, joyful laughter. He still had no idea what they were going to do for food or a place to live, he was glad that he'd taken the day to enjoy his true home. He'd missed this old place.

Gracefully, he flipped around and darted towards the master bedroom grinning like a mad man as he heard her tiny footfalls behind him as his daughter gave chase. He pounded down the stairs, leaping the last two as the adrenaline rush of running was pumping through his veins.

Laughing, he whipped his head around to look towards the stairs and slid to a halt as he saw the long, lean figure watching them with amusement. The man's blonde hair was pulled back away from his face in a low ponytail, accentuating the beautiful sweep of his features. His dress robes were impeccably tailored, cut to show off the strong body underneath them to perfection. His beautiful silver eyes stared at the two of them with a hint of amusement, but when they turned to Harry, they seemed to darken with emotions that made the raven haired wizard want to blush.

"Tag, Daddy!" Lucinda yelled, slamming into his back and grabbing his waist.

Harry's eyes widened as he toppled forward, caught off guard by his daughter's sudden playful assault. She squealed with laughter as they landed on the floor in a flurry of flamingo pink fabric, ribbons, and white lace. He flipped over and wrapped his arms protectively around her tiny body as he blinked up at the platinum blonde man.

Emerald eyes watched suspiciously as the blonde man just stared at the two of them with a smile on his face. When his daughter tried to tickle him and he pulled her tighter to his chest, he felt her little body stiffen with fear before she looked up and saw the platinum blonde man that looked so much like her.

"Hey, Uncle Draco!" she yelled, her beautiful voice echoing around the formerly empty house. Her hands stopped tickling her father, but she didn't surrender her spot on his chest.

Pushing off of the banister, the blonde walked down the hall towards the pair. "Good morning, Lucinda," Draco said, a small smile appearing on his face as he watched Harry lift his daughter easily and set her on the carpet so that he could get up.

Dusting off his trousers, Harry looked down to give himself a few seconds before he looked back at the blonde. He smiled down at his daughter as she stod up and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Good morning, Draco, I wasn't expecting to see you so soon," he said, reaching out and resting a hand on Lucinda's platinum curls. "I would have thought that all of your business here in London was done with."

Giving Harry a slightly smug smile, the blonde waved a long, elegant hand in dismissal. "I told you, Harry, I wasn't going to let you escape me so easily. I do, after all, owe you," he said, letting his hands drop to his sides.

Narrowing his eyes, the raven haired man escorted his daughter down the stairs, not liking how her shoulders had stiffened under the man's scrutiny of him. She knew that there were dangerous people who wanted to hurt her and her father. He'd had to be brutally honest with his child her whole life, and it had made her older than her gentle years.

"Don't worry about it," Harry said without looking up. The hair on the back of his neck rose as he heard the soft footfalls on the stairs behind him, but he refused to let Draco know that he'd been spooked enough to worry about who was at his back.

The blonde followed them all the way into the remodeled kitchen where Harry set his daughter down at one of the elegant oak chairs around the small informal dining set that he'd insisted on when he'd rebuilt the place. It was cozier in the smaller room, and the idea of sharing the formal dining room with nothing more than himself and Luce at the table that had been built for more than twenty people just didn't seem right.

When Draco sat across from her and leaned back casually in his chair, Luce stared at him curiously, knowing that her father wouldn't have set her in the same room with someone that he thought would hurt her.

"Please, let me take you out to lunch," he said, his rich voice settling through the room and rubbing Harry's nerves raw.

Flipping on the faucet with far more force than he'd really needed, the wizard took a deep breath as he struggled to control his temper. "No," he said simply, filling the tea pot and setting it on the gas stove.

"But Daddy!" Luce said, turning in her chair and sitting up on her knees.

"But Harry," Draco said at the exact second, before he stopped himself and settled back in his chair. He kept his face carefully neutral as the wizard turned and glared at him, but Harry saw the mirth dancing in his eyes.

He held up a finger to his daughter. "Luce, you and Daddy have to go out and run some errands today. I'm sure," he said, putting extra emphasis on the word, "that Uncle Draco has much more pressing matters to attend to."

When the little girl turned her wide green eyes around to face the blonde, Harry made a kill gesture towards Draco while he pursed his lips. The blonde ignored him as he leaned across the table and grabbed the little girl's hand in a gentle grip. "It would be my honor to escort you and your father around the city today, my lovely lady," he said solemnly, making Harry grind his back teeth.

As he heard the little girl's tinkling giggles, he knew that he was lost. He should give in gracefully, but the petulance refused to leave as he finished making the tea. 'Damn you, Blaise,' he thought with a vengance. 'I'm going to get you for this.'

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Draco waited as Harry kissed his daughter good night and told her a third bed time story. He smiled as the man told him about the brave exploits of the marvelous Dog Wizard Harry Snotty. She giggled when Harry started speaking in Parseltounge.

What shocked Draco down to his socks, though, was when the little girl started to try to hiss back at her father in the same language. He knew that Parselmouth wasn't always passed from parent to child, but he also remembered Harry hissing at his belly when he thought no one could see him while he'd been pregnant with the little girl. Draco had thought it was endearing.

The sound of hissing coming from Harry's mouth caused Draco's heart to pick up speed and his body to react in rather interesting way. He remembered exactly what that tongue could hiss around certain body parts. It had been rather educational to learn that the closer Harry got to climax, the more he lost his grip of the English language. The only word he'd been able to understand towards the end of their last lovemaking session had been his name, and even that had been distorted slightly with a very odd accent.

"Good night, Popit," Harry said quietly, his voice still slightly accented as he walked out of the master suite and gently shut the door halfway.

"Daddy!" Luce called softly, sitting up in the large bed, looking very alone and vulnerable in her nightgown.

"Yes, Lucinda?" he asked, his voice low and soft as he leaned in the doorway and watched Draco with suspicious eyes.

The little blonde mumbled something so quiet that Draco couldn't quite catch it, but he watched as Harry's shoulder's sagged slightly. "I promise, baby. I'll be back in just a few minutes to check on you," he said quietly, blowing her a kiss and stepping away from the doorway.

Draco waited patiently, leaning against the wall with his hands clasped over his stomach. He looked up through his lashes as the raven haired boy motioned him towards the stairs. Raising an eyebrow at the boy that was only a few months younger than him, he waited for Harry to go first. As the boy descended the stairs, Draco shook his head slightly as he watched the stiff set of Harry's shoulders. It hurt slightly that he was no longer trusted at Harry's back.

Once he'd walked into the parlor, Draco waited and watched Harry with carefully blank features as the boy drug a hand through his silky black hair. The blonde felt his palms itch as he watched, his hands begging him to bury them in Harry's tresses. His body stiffened slightly as he watched the tip of the wizard's tongue snake out to wet his full, lush lips. Images of the boy's mouth parted in a soft moan as he trialed kisses down his body made Draco suddenly very glad that he'd worn full dress robes instead of the more common muggle suits that he usually wore to the office.

"Draco," Harry started sitting down on the chair nearest the empty fireplace. "What are you doing here?"

Fighting down a wave of bitter disappointment, the blonde rose one eyebrow and sat down on the chair opposite the wizard. He'd gotten a message from Blaise earlier that day, begging him not to tell Harry that it was him that had ratted the Savior out. "I told you I'd be back," he said simply, keeping his tone light. "I have reputation for honoring my word to keep, you know."

He watched as Harry's eyes narrowed on him. "Look, Draco, I thought I explained it to you last time. I can't take a chance with Luce's life. You even being here is a huge problem. Not to mention that whole fiasco at the market," he grumbled, waving his hand in the general direction of the door.

Inwardly, Draco smiled. He'd taken Harry and Luce out to a very nice lunch at his favorite little cafe. By the time they were making their way home, he'd bought her a new pair of shoes, a beautiful new dolly, and enough groceries to feed the two of them for a month. When Harry had tried to pay him back for it, he'd flatly refused the wizard.

"She's a Malfoy. She deserved a new dolly," he replied, kicking himself when he saw the way the raven haired man's shoulders sank just slightly. Obviously, he'd touched on a sore spot. "Harry, you know that I'd never let anything happen to the two of you, you have to know that."

The suspicion in the boy's eyes caused Draco's heart to squeeze painfully. No matter how hard he'd looked for the two of them, Harry and Lucinda had always managed to evade him. He'd even sunk as low as to hire a muggle detective or two, but no one had been able to find the pair in the years that he'd been looking for them. It had been frustrating, to say the least. Ever since he'd woken up to an empty bed, he'd been after the boy.

Sighing, the boy reached up and covered his eyes with his hand. "Draco," he started, his slender body sagging against the chair.

"Just wait," the blonde said, sinking to his knees in front of Harry. "Harry, just hear me out. Things are changing. It's not like it was when you were living at the manor. If you'd just come ba.."

Harry's hand covered his mouth, stopping the words before he could breath them. Draco's lips tingled where the warm fingers rested on the sensitive skin of his lips. "Don't. Just don't. I gave up any hope of coming back to that world a long time ago," he whispered, his eyes shining with tears of sadness.

Draco reached up and ran his thumb over Harry's cheekbone, feeling the soft, baby smooth skin that haunted his dreams for years. He moved slowly, drawing his face upwards towards the other wizard's. He saw Harry's eyes widen a second before Draco brought both of his hands up to cup the boy's face in his hands.

Without hesitation, Draco's lips closed over the other wizard's. He moved his mouth gently, feeling the hint of resistance that Harry offered. Carefully, he coaxed the boy into responding, fighting the demands of his body. Everything in him was screaming at him to throw the raven haired boy to the floor and claim him so thoroughly that Harry would never forget to whom he belonged.

A few seconds later, though, his patience was rewarded when Harry gave a soft whimper and wrapped his arms around the blonde man's neck. Draco felt a rush of pleasure wash through him as long, elegant fingers tangled in his nearly white tresses. His own fingers caressed down Harry's neck and chest. They wandered over the former Gryfendor's slender torso until they reached around him and drew the boy against his chest.

"Nnnn..." Harry started, pulling his lips away from Draco's even as his legs wrapped around the blonde's waist. "Wait."

With a soft growl, Draco felt the blood pound through his body. He nipped at Harry's neck, burrying his face in the man's skin. He inhaled deeply, savoring the slightly spicy scent that had always been unique to Harry. The scent was partly due to the sheer amount of raw power contained in Harry's delicate frame, the other part of it was the scent of a man that had been altered through magic so that he could concieve and carry a child. It was intoxicating, and Draco had with nothing but the memory of it for years.

"I've been waiting," he growled into Harry's ear before he nibbled gently on the lobe. His hands wandered down to Harry's hips as he pulled the boy to the edge of his chair.

A moan escaped from Harry's lips as Draco felt the boy's hands tighten in his hair. He heard a soft hiss in parselmouth as Harry turned his head to give Draco better access to his tender skin. Triumph soared through Draco's veins as he felt Harry's body go pliant. With a groan, he moved his hands up and started to work the buttons on Harry's shirt with shaking fingers.

When Harry's hands left his hair and slid down his chest, Draco grabbed the edges of Harry's shirt and gave one short, strong jerk on the egdes of his shirt. Buttons went flying as he gazed down at the pale, beautiful perfection of the boy's smooth skin. "Beautiful," he breathed, looking up to stare into Harry's passion heavy eyes.

As he leaned in, Draco felt Harry's hands hold him back, pushing against his chest. He looked up in question, his body thrumming with raging desire.

"No," Harry panted, leaning back in the chair, the muscles of his stomach bunching and flexing temptingly under Draco's intense gaze. "Please, Draco, don't."

Feeling his heart crack slightly, Draco forced himself to back off slightly. He rested his hands on Harry's thighs, unable to keep them from sliding up and down the boy's strong legs. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, his voice rough with desire.

Closing his eyes, Harry rubbed his hands over his face, drawing Draco's attention to the lean muscles of his chest. Groaning, Harry drug his fingers down his face. "Everything," he muttered, letting his head thump back onto the chair back. "Draco, we can't do this again!"

Rasing an eyebrow, the blonde let his fingers dance higher on up on Harry's thighs. He traced the creases in Harry's trousers at the juncture of his thighs and hips. He felt the shudder that rippled through the boy's body even as he saw the flush creep up his chest. His mouth started to water as he stared at the bounty spread out before him.

"And why not?" he asked, shifting his hips so that they rubbed against Harry's.

He watched as the raven haired wizard sucked in a breath and bit his full lower lip hard. He licked his own lips involuntarily, feeling the need to lean forward and sooth the tormented flesh.

"Draco!" Harry whimpered, grabbing a hold of his wrists and wiggling away. He rolled off the chair and scooted back away from Draco. The blonde wizard noted with satisfaction that Harry's body was trembling, and that he couldn't make his legs work very well. "We can't do this again! It's too much. I don't want to hurt you."

The blonde's heart tightened as emerald eyes blinked up at him. "More than you would be if you left me again? Waking up alone that morning was the lowest point in my life, Harry," he said honestly, his grey eyes staring at the beautiful wizard across from him. "I've been looking for the two of you since that morning. Come home with me."

Inwardly, Draco cringed at the pleading note that entered his voice. A little voice in the back of his mind whispered that the boy could never love him. Harry had been devoted to his father after Lucinda's birth, shunning him at every turn. He'd taken to spending most of his time traveling with Lucius. It hadn't been until he'd found out how pregnant his father's new spouse was that he figured out the reason why Harry was avoiding him like the plauge.

"I was married to your father. Technically, I'm your step father. I just can't put Luce through that kind of scorn. She deserves better than that, and we both know it," Harry said, his flushed cheeks and kiss swollen lips giving him a wanton air that sent Draco's blood rushing through his veins.

Draco felt his heart crack as he heard the harsh words. "That's a really bloody foolish excuse and you know it," he said, forcing his voice to stay steady and not to show the pain that he felt.

Harry looked away, his elfin face profiled in the weak light that filtered from the lamps scattered around the room. "Draco, don't do this to me. You and I know that nothing good can come of this. As soon as anyone knows that you're with me, they'll rip you to shreds. Your business will be ruined, your name tarnished, everything will crumble around you. I refuse to be the cause of it, and I refuse to hide it if we start this," he said, softly bringing a shaking hand up to smooth back his hair.

Anger narrowed Draco's eyes as he sat back on his heels. He took a deep breath, holding in the harsh words that were leaving a coppery taste in his mouth. He stood up, turning away from the raven haired boy so that he had a few moments to get control of his face. He leaned against the cold fireplace mantle, staring into the empty hearth as he heard Harry get to his feet.

The springs of the couch squeaked as the boy sank onto them. Draco closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So that's the way of it, then?" he asked quietly, bitter anger settling in the pit of his stomach like a rock.

"Yes," Harry answered shortly.

Taking a deep breath, Draco turned and gave the boy a tight smile. "Then I guess I should be going, now shouldn't I?" he asked, unable to hide the rage that was boiling in his blood.

His anger only grew when he saw the tears that glittered in the boy's emerald eyes. "Draco, please don't be angry. You know this is the way it has to be," he said, his voice trembling.

Throwing his hands up in the air, the blonde stalked towards the doorway. "You know, Harry, this would go over a lot easier if you'd finally admit the truth to yourself and everyone else. If you'd just admit that you fancy me as much as I do you, then our daughter wouldn't have to hide the way that she's had to all of these years. She could finally grow up with both of her parents," he yelled, balling his hands into fists at his sides.

Ignoring the flush that crept up Harry's cheeks, he strode through the house. He felt rage boil over as he heard the raven haired boy stumble slightly as he tried to follow him. Giving into his more childish side for the first time in a long time, Draco slammed the door on the way out.

Damn that boy and his stubborn nature.

// Flashback//

Licking his dry lips, Harry tugged at the sash that was holding the thin house coat closed over his nude body. He looked across the bed towards the door. He knew that just a few doors down, Draco was sleeping, his arm thrown over his head and his golden hair glinting in the firelight.

Harry knew it because that's how he'd left him just after they'd made love.

"You look like a lamb being led to the slaughter," Lucius's deep voice whispered seconds before his warm arms wrapped around the boy's slim waist.

Harry jumped and swallowed, forcing himself to relax back against the man that he'd been married to for the past six months. "I'm just a little bit nervous," he whispered, biting his lower lip. His heart slammed against his ribs, wondering if Lucius had figured out that he'd been sleeping with the younger Malfoy for months now.

A soft sigh stired the hair on top of his head. "We can wait," Lucius wispered into his hair, giving him a gentle sqeeze. "I told you that I wouldn't pressure you, and I meant what I said, Harry."

Closing his eyes as guilt washed through him, he licked his lips. He turned in the man's arms and reached up to lace his fingers behind the man's neck. "No," he said, looking up at the man through his lashes to hide the guilt that he knew would be burning in them. "I want to make this work, Lucius. Let's not wait. Just be gentle with me. Please don't hurt me."

He saw the man's face brighten with a mixture of happiness and lust before he leaned down and claimed Harry's lips with his own.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Harry stared at the healer with horror blooming in his chest. "Are you sure?" he asked, all of the color draining out of his face as he felt himself go slightly light headed.

Concern flashed over the woman's face as she reached out and shoved Harry's head between his knees. "Breath, Mr. Malfoy," she commanded, rubbing gentle fingers over his nape.

Unable to catch his breath, Harry gagged. "Pregnant?" he managed as he fought with his churning stomach to keep down the breakfast of toast and fresh fruit that he'd eaten this morning.

"Why yes, Mr. Malfoy. For almost a month," she said, leaning down and looking at his pale face with worry. "Should I call your husband to come and get you? You don't look well."

Panic flashed through Harry just before he lost his breakfast on her shoes. He held his sides as the woman helped him onto a bed. "My husband is in France at the moment," he whispered softly, closing his eyes and pulling off his glasses. "He won't return for another few days."

Gently, the woman smoothed a cold cloth over his face and sighed. "Is there someone who can take you home? I wouldn't suggest apparation in your current state. It can be very dangerous for your baby," she said gently.

"Draco," Harry whispered softly, closing his eyes and fighting back tears. "Draco's at the Manor." He reached up and covered his face with his hands. It had only been two weeks ago that he'd consumated his marriage to Lucius. If he was a month or better, than it must have been one of the first times he'd sought out Draco.

When the woman started to leave, Harry grabbed her sleeve and fixed his best glare on her. His panic added a slight edge to his voice as he stared the healer down. "If you breath a word of this to anyone, I swear that you will not see the light of another sunrise. I'll kill you myself," he whispered, pulling his arm back and setting his hand down on the bed next to where he'd placed his wand.

The woman's eyes widened until Harry saw the whites all the way around her iris. She nodded vigorously and backed towards the door. "Of course not, Mr. Malfoy," she squeaked, tripping over her own feet as she flung open the door and fled.

Harry took deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. He'd survived more in his life already than most people three times his age. If he could keep himself alive through all of that, he could figure this out. He brought a hand up and held his stomach, knowing that there was a little boy or girl growing inside of him right now. No matter what happened between himself and the two men in his life, his child would never grow up like he had, hated and alone.

When the door opened, Harry looked up, expecting the healer again. He caught a flash of platinum hair seconds before Draco stepped in, looking so much like his father that it nearly broke Harry's heart. Apparently, the Malfoy genes were very dominant, just like their men. He let himself study the younger Malfoy's face for a few seconds before he hopped off of the bed and grabbed his wand, tucking it into the sleeve of his very expensive new robes.

"Is everything alright?" the blonde asked, walking over and resting his hands on Harry's shoulders.

Forcing the tears that threatened out of his eyes, Harry blinked up at Draco. "Yeah, everything's fine. I'm just feeling a little sick, so they didn't want me to apparate," he replied, reaching up to brush his fingers over Draco's jaw. He was going to miss the blonde's soft, gentle touches and his loving words.

Lucius was far more demanding in every way. While Draco was gentle and loving, his father was rougher, more intense. Harry'd never been dominated as thoroughly as he was when he was with Lucius, and while it wasn't horrible, it wasn't what he liked, either.

Draco's eyes slid shut as he leaned into the touch, a smile gracing his perfect lips. "Come on, then, let's get you home," he said quietly, opening his now dialated eyes to look at Harry with a decidedly lusty cast to his features.

Feeling his blood rush through his veins, Harry nodded mutely, knowing that this would be the last time he could ever let Draco touch him. The risks to his child were too great. He followed the blonde out of the office, looking over at the healer who was sitting in a chair, pale and sweating still. His eyes were cold and empty as she looked up at him, making her blanch harder before she slid off the chair and landed in a heap on the floor.

At least some good had come of him being the wizard with the highest body count at the end of the Final Battle.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Tada! I'd like to say thank you to my Beta Phoenix for her FABULOUS work on this story with me. She's always there with some much needed encouragement. You're a rock star.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. :) I appreciate it. I've decided to re-vamp the summary and pairing of this story, seeing as how my muse didn't like Lucius. I have no idea why, because Lucius is a sexy beast, but eh. Reviews are love!


	7. Chapter 7

Title: The Ties that Bond

Warning: Don't read this if you're against homosexuality, bondage, or any of that other kinky candy. It might even contain meantion of a goat later on. hehe Just kidding.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. If you sue, it'll be like getting blood from a turnip.

A/N: I'd just like to state, for the record, that this WAS going to be a Harry/Lucius. It was originally a one shot. I got such a huge response, though, that I decided to make it longer. So in response to your review, Darkness of the unsigned and unanswerable review, maybe you should read the WHOLE thing before you start getting all in a tizzy over something.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Harry smiled as he watched Luce run across the playground, her blonde curls bouncing as she tagged another little girl and then spun on her heel to dart away underneath the slide. Even though she was only five, her reflexes were top notch. She was very graceful, seeming to fly over the ground.

"Kids make friends so easily," a man's voice said from just over his shoulder.

Turning his head, Harry watched the tall, dark haired man stroll up to him. He gave him a half smile and nodded, slipping his hand into his pocket to hold onto his wand. "They do. All they have to do is see another person their height and they're instantly the best of friends," he replied, keeping one eye on his daughter and watching the man out of the corner of his eyes.

Stopping next to him, the black haired man nodded. "It's a shame adults don't retain that ability. The older you get, the more complicated it becomes," he said with a slightly whistful (wistful) tone to his voice. "I'm Jerry."

Harry looked over as the man held out a hand. Slightly uneasy, Harry shook the man's hand briefly before he pulled his hand back. "Harry," he replied, turning to watch as his daughter throw herself head first down the slide.

"I know," the man replied, slipping his hands into his pockets and watching the kids play.

With flat, cold eyes, Harry turned to look at the man. He slipped his wand out of his pocket and held it at his side, mentally drawing on his power.

The man turned and held up his hands, showing that they were empty. "Whoa there, I'm not here to hurt you," he said, taking a step back.

"Then what do you want?" Harry asked, fighting back the urge to twitch.

Jerry smiled what Harry supposed was his charming smile. "I'm here to warn you, Harry. I remember what it was like under old Voldie. I don't want the world to go back to that again," he said, a sadness entering the man's eyes.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Warn me about what?" he asked, glancing around the playground that had gone from bright and cheerful to sinister in just a few seconds.

"They're getting closer, Harry. They know that you're staying at Grimmauld and they're waiting for you there right now," he said, holding his hands out to his sides as his eyes pleaded with Harry.

"And who are 'They'?," Harry asked, feeling his heart clench.

Jerry looked around nervously for a second before he licked his lips. "Look, I can't tell you more than I already have. They're watching me, too. Just know that I'm the son of a good friend of your husband. He saved my dad's arse more times than I can count," the black haired boy said, stepping back. "Lucius Malfoy was a good person, and so is his daughter. Please, Harry, you've got to run."

Looking around, Harry noticed a flash of black in the bushes. He ran for his daughter, covering the distance between himself and his offspring with astounding speed. He grabbed her as she was about to tag her new playmate. Ignoring her cry of protest, he darted for the trees and dodged through the park.

A bolt of red light flashed over his head as he ducked under a bridge. He kept a tight grip on his daughter, picking up speed as he reached the edge of the park. He hit the rush hour pedestrian traffic and slowed, not wanting to make a scene by pushing his way through the crowds.

As they crossed a street, Harry ducked into an alley and set Luce down. He knelt in front of her and felt his heart break at the tears that were silently streaming down her face. "Luce, are you alright?" he asked, reaching up to brush his thumbs over her cheeks.

"Daddy I didn't want to leave!" she cried, a sob breaking free.

Harry pulled his daughter into his arm and felt his resolve crack. "I know, baby, I know," he whispered, smoothing down her curls.

As she cried, he kept looking over her shoulder, watching for someone to pop out of the shadows. His temper flared, but he pushed it down, not wanting to accidentally use magic that could harm the Muggles passing by. He was tired of running, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

If they wanted to play hardball, then he'd play hardball. Before he could start hunting down the people that kept hunting him, though, he'd have to make sure that Luce was safe and there was only one place on the face of the planet that he was sure that she'd be safe even if he wasn't there.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

Harry held onto his daughter's hand tightly as he stood in front of the massive fireplace in the main study of Grimmauld Place. "It's okay, Lucinda," he said, fighting down his own nerves. "We're going to go and see your Uncle again."

The little blonde next to him blinked her wide green eyes up and gave him a dazzling smile. "Okay, Daddy," she said, the trust and love shining out of her eyes making Harry's insides melt like butter on a skillet.

He looked at the fireplace and tossed in a handful of floo powder. When the flames changed colour, he gave her a shaky smile. "Now I'm going to keep a hold of your hand the whole time, okay? I need you to hold on tightly," he pulled her closer to his side before they stepped into the warm, dancing flames.

After a tense second, her eyes went back to their normal size and she wrapped her free arm around his legs. "I'm ready," she said, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

Licking his lips, Harry brought his will up and directed it towards the magic in the fire. "Draco Malfoy," he said in a clear, precise voice. He had a second to wonder what those people who had horribly thick foreign accents did before he felt himself sucked out of the chimney and slammed through the floo network.

Holding on fiercely to his daughter, Harry felt the two of them fly through the air and he closed his eyes automatically as he felt them start to squeeze through another exit to the network.

Soot billowed around them as Harry and Luce flew out of the fire place. Harry had just enough time to roll his body in midair so that he landed on his back with Luce clutched tightly to his chest before he slid across a smooth floor. Curling into a ball, Harry braced himself for impact seconds before he was slammed into a wall.

Coughing, Harry sat up and looked around the large, opulent receiving room at Malfoy Manor. He got quickly to his feet and pushed Luce behind him as she coughed, but clung desperately to his hand. Reaching up with his sleeves, he wiped the soot off of his face just as the door flew open and a strange wizard with brown hair came flying in through it, wand drawn.

Harry didn't even have a chance to blink before his own wand was out and he was disarming the stunned man. He gripped both of the wands in one hand, grateful for all of the years in school that Hermione had forced him to drill and drill in non-lethal spells for defense.

"Who the hell are you?" the brunette demanded, holding his hands up and backing towards the door.

'Brave man,' Harry thought, knowing that it either took some serious back up or some serious brass balls to yell at an armed opponent when you had nothing more to defend yourself than your good looks.

"My name is Harry," he replied, reaching back and holding his daughter behind him when he knew she was dying to peek and see who the new man was. "I need to see Draco Malfoy, please."

Scowling, the man started to step back towards the door but a jerk from Harry's wand froze him in place. "Mr. Malfoy is busy at the moment and can't receive visitors," the man, obviously a new butler, replied raising his hands a little higher. "If you'll give me your card, I'll be sure that he knows you've been here."

Giving the man a droll stare, Harry took a risk and lowered his wand. He tucked it back into the pocket he'd put in the inside of his vest and gave the butler his best father look. "We both know that's not going to happen," he said, tapping the other wizard's wand against his leg. "Now you have two options, either I take your wand with me when I leave or you take a message to Draco while I wait here." He raised an eyebrow at the man as he waited for the butler's decision.

Pursing his lips in irritation, the brunette nodded and waited for Harry to continue. "What is your message?" he asked, clenching his jaw in irritation.

Raising his chin another notch, Harry stared the brunette down. "Tell him that Harry and Luce are here to see him, please," he replied politely, mentally taking a calming breath.

"Wait here," the man replied, his tone very formal and stiff. He backed towards the door and shut it.

When Harry heard the lock click, he rolled his eyes. Any wizard worth his salt could undo that lock in less than two seconds flat. He turned towards his daughter and began dusting her off. Kneeling in front of her, he gently used the sleeve of his once crisp white shirt to wipe the soot off of her face.

"There," he said once her face was as clean as it was going to get. "Beautiful, as always."

Smiling, she reached up and wiped at some of the dirt on Harry's face. He grinned and dutifully held still under her gentle hands, even when she came perilously close to poking out his eye. When she was done, he opened his matching green eyes and grinned widely at her. Giving him a soft giggle, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

"There," she repeated, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Beautiful."

Shaking his head, he gave her a squeeze before he stood up and rubbed his fingers over the silky smooth texture of her hair. "Daddy, why did that man point a stick at you?" she asked innocently, reaching for the butler's wand.

Pulling the wand behind his back, Harry smiled. "Because he's a silly man who thought he could get the best of your Daddy," he replied, wrinkling his nose.

There was a soft click before the door opened and the butler appeared; his eyes so wide that you could see the whites all the way around them. "Mr. Malfoy bids you welcome," he squeaked, before clearing his throat and straightening his robes. "If you'll follow me, please?"

Hiding a smirk, Harry followed the butler, holding tightly onto Luce's hand as the little girl stared around at the opulence of the Malfoy ancestral home in shock and awe. Harry had to admit to himself that it was worth a second and even a third look. The white marble had been kept, but more gold had been added since his time here.

The manor had become more obnoxiously rich. Lucius would have hated it.

As much as his late husband had enjoyed the finer things in life, he'd never been overbearing with his wealth. His robes had always been of superb quality without being ostentatious. It saddened him now to see the obvious signs of wealth that were scattered around. He knew that they must have cost a fortune and he had a feeling that Draco hadn't signed off on the new naked golden cherubs sitting on each and every corner.

"Daddy," Luce whispered loudly, tugging on Harry's hand.

Harry glanced down. "Yes, Poppet?" he asked, following the butler easily through the halls that he could still probably walk through blindfolded.

She leaned closer, her steps slowing. "Daddy, why doesn't that statue over there have any pants on? You can see his man bits," she whispered loudly, her eyes wide and earnest.

Biting his lip to keep from laughing, Harry watched as the butler in front of them turned and stared at his daughter with astonishment. He straightened and kept walking for a few seconds before he trusted himself enough to open his mouth without bursting into laughter. "I'm not quite sure, Poppet," he replied, his voice sounding slightly strangled. "Come on, the man is walking away from us, and we'd hate to lose him."

Distracted, his daughter picked up her pace and followed after the stiff man.

When they reached the doorway of what had once been his husband's study, Harry's whole body tensed. He'd loved this room and the quiet hours that he'd spent in here with Lucius once he'd firmly put Draco out of his heart.

Straightening his spine, Harry lifted his chin and smoothed out his face as the door was opened and he was admitted into what was now Draco's inner sanctum. He was ushered over to the blonde's desk, where Draco was busily typing away on a modern laptop in the middle of a desk that was a study in organized chaos.

Harry kept his shoulders from hunching as the blonde looked up at him and gave him a cold, angry stare. He looked over at the man that had brought them here before his beautiful grey eyes softened before they looked at Luce.

"Sir, I've brought them here as you ordered," the butler said, giving the blonde a small bow, as if he didn't want to draw too much attention to himself.

"I can see that, thank you," he replied, his eyes flicking back towards the man for a second.

Harry silently held the slender wand out towards the man, thick end first. He gave the man a smile as the wand was taken from his hand. "Always look before you try a spell," he advised, his smile growing slightly brighter as the brunette's cheeks flushed scarlet.

"You may leave us, Jarvin," Draco said, typing a few more keys before he shut the laptop to give Harry and Luce his full attention.

When the butler walked out of the room, Harry felt butterflies flutter in his stomach. When the brilliant silver eyes that he'd been seeing in his mind for the last twelve hours met his own, the butterflies froze for a second. He felt his lips tingle as Draco stared slightly harder at him than he had when the butler had been in the room.

After the room was silent for a few minutes, he felt Luce shift next to him before she pulled her hand out of his and bounced around the desk to where Draco was sitting. She tugged on his sleeve before her tiny arms wrapped around his neck in a tight hug.

Harry felt his heart break a little at the momentary expression of pain that crossed the blonde's face before it smoothed out and he pulled away. When Draco pulled the little girl into his lap, Harry licked his lips nervously.

"Good morning, Lucinda. Did you sleep well?" Draco asked, giving the little imp on his lap his full attention.

Giving the elder blonde a charming smile, Luce nodded. "Yup. I got to sleep in Daddy's big bed. It's really comfortable. How did you sleep, Uncle Draco?" she asked, her wide green eyes blinking up at him innocently.

When a matching smile stretched over Draco's face, Harry felt his stomach clench slightly. This was the first and only time that he'd ever really regretted the decision to denigh (deny) Draco his daughter and stay with Lucius. The reasons that had seemed so important back then didn't seem so important now- the war, the politics, none of that seemed to matter now; as much as the look on Draco's face as the little girl questioned him incessantly about every detail of his evening.

After he'd answered enough questions to satisfy her curiosity for the moment, Harry felt the man's eyes focus in on him again. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today, Mr. Potter?" Draco asked, making the raven haired wizard flinch inwardly at the formal tone. Yup, Draco was still miffed with him.

Licking his lips, the Saviour of the Wizarding world forced himself to meet the blonde's eyes without flinching. "Is there any way I could talk to you in the garden perhaps? Somewhere more private?" he asked politely, clasping his hands behind his back.

"No," Draco replied simply, fixing a level glare at Harry.

Forcing the butterflies that threatened the toast and tea he'd had for breakfast into submission, the wizard lifted his chin slightly. "As you wish," he said, licking his lips. "I'm here to ask for your assistance."

The blonde looked down at the little girl that was perched on his lap, his face carefully blank. "What assistance could you possibly want from me?" he asked quietly, leaning back in his chair slightly. "It was my understanding that you didn't wish any help from me."

Harry wished that Draco would look up at him, knowing that the beautiful silver orbs were the one thing that Draco could never fully control. He always knew what the blonde was feeling by looking into those eyes. "I apologise for what I said. Everything happened so suddenly," he replied honestly, keeping his chin up.

Draco finally raised his eyes from Luce's delicate face to stare at Harry. When Draco's mercurial eyes met his own, Harry felt the butterflies in his stomach melt and turn to a liquid heat that raced through his veins. The blonde's eyes roamed over his face for a fraction of a second before they lingered over his body. "I'm only going to ask you one more time, Harry: Why are you here?" he asked, reaching out and wrapping his arms around Luce, who was staring between the two of them with large emerald eyes.

Swallowing his pride, Harry looked at his daughter held so lovingly in the arms of the current head of the Malfoy fortunes. "It's become very apparent in the last month that I won't be able to protect Luce much longer. The threats are getting worse, and I can't stay on guard twenty four seven," he admitted, closing his eyes in defeat.

When the blonde didn't respond, Harry opened his eyes and met Draco's steady regard. "Luce, how would you like to see some more of my house? There's a duck pond near the stables," he said, his eyes never leaving Harry's.

Lucinda's face brightened as she looked up at Harry. "Daddy, can I go and feed the ducks?" she asked, pouting out her lip just a hair.

Forcing himself to smile, Harry looked away from Draco and down at his daughter. "Of course, Poppet," he replied, slipping his hands into the pockets of his trousers. He hooked his thumbs over the edges of his pockets and rocked forwards on the balls of his feet, trying to calm the pounding of his heart.

Smiling sweetly up at Draco, Luce hoped off of his lap and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Uncle Draco," she said, tugging on the unresisting blonde man's hand.

Draco kept a hold of Luce's hand as they walked towards Harry. When his daughter grabbed his hand, Harry looked up and met the blonde's eyes over her beautiful platinum curls. As the grey eyes stared into his own, Harry felt his body shiver at the raw emotions he saw burning in their depths.

Looking away from the blonde's pain, Harry led the way out of the study and turned down the main corridor that would take them to the outside. He led their silent group out of the Manor and onto the carefully maintained grounds, noting the changes that had occurred since he'd last walked the halls.

"Did you change the gardener?" he asked as they walked over the lawn towards the duck pond.

Raising an eyebrow, Draco looked over at him. "Rowlins retired two years ago. His grandson took over. I'm surprised you noticed," he replied, his voice very neutral.

Harry looked over the flower beds that were blooming with a riot of colours. "That old codger never did like any colour in his flowers. It was either white or red. We used to argue about it for hours," he replied, a half smile quirking his lips.

Draco gave a snort and swung his arm just a little bit as they neared the duck pond where five white shapes were floating on the surface of the water. He looked down at Luce and smiled. "There's a bin of feed over by the stable," he said, letting go of her hand and giving her a small nudge towards the stables. "I'm sure the ducks are very hungry. Go on."

Grinning up at Harry, Luce tore across the lawn and eagerly grabbed two handfuls of food before she ran back towards the ducks and threw it at them. When they started to honk and flap their wings, she giggled and started to chase them around the pond. Her curls danced around in the light breeze that stirred the trees. Her dress floated along behind her, making her look like an angel as she squealed with delight at the antics of the water fowl. It was like she belonged there, and in all reality she did.

She was a Malfoy, after all.

"What do you want from me, Harry?" Draco asked, breaking into the raven haired wizard's reprieve.

Taking a deep breath, Harry turned away from his daughter to look at Draco. He mentally braced himself before he spoke. "Things have been getting worse and worse. I think they've found a way to track me," he admitted quietly, licking his lips. "I don't even know who they are, Draco."

The blonde stared out at the little girl who was making her way back to the feed bucket for some more oats. "Not to sound callous, Harry, but what do you want me to do about it?" the blonde asked, his voice cold. "You've made it very clear to me that you don't want or need anything from me."

Licking his lips, Harry turned his body to face the blonde. "If I had been two seconds slower with my stun spell, Luce would have been taken while we were grocery shopping last week. I can't take a chance with her. She's my life," he said, blinking away the memory of the terror written across her face. "I can't keep her hidden anymore. I know Bellatrix won't want her here, but..."

When Draco's face turned to look at him, Harry felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. Draco's mercurial eyes were furious, his lips pressed together in a tight line as his hands balled into fists. "After all of these years, all of the nights I spent worrying if she was still alive, all of the hours I spent looking for the two of you in every backwater town from here to God and back, now you decide to come home? And you just expect me to endanger everything that I've built here because you suddenly up and decide that it's time for you to make your grand re-appearance?" he growled through clenched teeth.

Harry's temper flared as he stared at the blonde, his emerald eyes snapping with fire. "It's not for me, you twit. It's for her!" he growled back, motioning towards the little girl who was dropping feed all over the grass on her way back to the pond again.

"You mean my 'sister'?" Draco replied, his voice as angry as his eyes were hurt.

Throwing up his arms, Harry rolled his eyes skyward. "I'm not going to do this with you right now, Draco!" he yelled, his temper finally snapping. "If you're not going to help us, then fine. I'll figure something else out."

Harry saw Draco glance towards his daughter when he yelled, and followed the boy's eyes to see that his little girl had frozen on the spot. Her eyes were wide and she slowly began to back away from the ducks. When they followed her, she bolted for Harry, flying over the ground towards her father.

"No," the blonde said, looking over at Harry. "You're not getting off that easily. I'll have the maids prepare your old room. Luce can stay in the nursery where she's belonged since she was born." His eyes bore into Harry's, daring him to try to leave.

Harry looked over at his daughter and prayed that he hadn't just made the worst mistake of his life. "Thanks," he said grudgingly as he forced himself to smile at his little girl.

Lucinda slowed slightly when she reached him. She looked between the two of them and grabbed her father's hand. "Daddy?" she asked, staring up at her father.

"Luce, Uncle Draco has agreed to let us stay here for a while," he said, pulling her close to his side and giving her a gentle hug. He stared at the man who was watching the both of them with a carefully guarded face.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8

Okay, Chapter 7 is finally up! Yay! Sorry it took me so long, I was recovering from a vacation. :D Hopefully, it shouldn't take me as long to get the next chapter up.

Thank you to Phoenix for her support and cattle prodding. She's my hero for putting up with my TERRIBLE grammar and lack any spelling skills what-so-ever.

Review! Let me know what you think, good or bad, on how the story's going! If you don't tell me it's going wonky, I can't fix it. :P


	8. Chapter 8

Title: The Ties that Bond

Warning: Don't read this if you're against homosexuality, bondage, or any of that other kinky candy. It might even contain meantion of a goat later on. hehe Just kidding.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. If you sue, it'll be like getting blood from a turnip.

A/N: I'd just like to state, for the record, that this WAS going to be a Harry/Lucius. It was originally a one shot. I got such a huge response, though, that I decided to make it longer. So in response to your review, Darkness of the unsigned and unanswerable review, maybe you should read the WHOLE thing before you start getting all in a tizzy over something.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*

As the three of them walked into the house, Harry kept Luce's hand gripped tightly in his own. He kept his eyes peeled as he followed Draco through the house, watching for any signs of the blonde boy's aunt. She hadn't made an appearance yet, but he knew that she would.

Draco snapped his fingers once they reached the stairs, summoning a house elf. "Noggle, will you please have Nanny prepare the nursery? We're going to have guests for a while," he instructed, looking very much like his father as he turned back towards Harry and Luce.

Harry's heart gave a squeeze as he watched Draco reach out for Lucinda's hand, a smile playing over his lush lips. When his daughter looked to him first, he nodded, looking around as the house elf popped out and they started up the stairs. His hand gripped his wand as he walked up the stairs, trying to watch every angle that Bellatrix could come from.

The tall blonde looked over, watching Harry twitch at every sound. "You seem preoccupied, Harry. Is something the matter?" he asked, stopping outside the door to the nursery and raising an eyebrow.

Licking his lips, Harry tilted his head and looked over at the Malfoy. "I was just wondering when or if your aunt would be joining us," he replied as Draco opened the door and led Luce into the large nursery where generations of Malfoys had been reared.

The room was massive, just about half of the size of the common room in Gryffindor Tower. It had obviously been outfitted for his daughter, the room done in pink and white with traces of gold. There were stuffed animals of every variety set around the room at random intervals, attracting the eye. A small, delicate tea service was set up at a white table with four chairs around it. It was the room every little girl could dream of.

Harry's eyes prickled as he watched his daughter's face light up. She looked to him first, though, and he gave her hand a squeeze. Her blonde curls bounced as she hopped over to the amazingly large doll house that looked like a small version of Malfoy Manor. When she touched the side, it opened, revealing a complete replica of the inside. It even had miniature furniture, dishes, and linens.

"I'm afraid my aunt won't be joining us this evening," Draco replied, stepping closer to Harry's side.

"Really?" Harry asked, forcing himself to smile at his daughter as she held up a blonde doll that looked remarkably like Draco. "And when will she be back?"

Blinking, Draco turned and looked at Harry, a look of mild surprise on his face. "I suppose you wouldn't have heard, would you? Auntie Bella died last year," he replied, walking over to where Luce was playing dolls and leaving Harry sitting in the doorway dumb founded.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8

/Flashback/

Harry's slim body danced nimbly away from Lucius, a smile curving the ends of his lips. He ducked around the table that dominated the formal dining room of the Malfoy's summer cottage. He giggled as the elder blonde man gave him a distinctly frustrated look. With swift, teasing steps, Harry spun around a chair and bolted for the door.

Before he could get more than thirty feet past the doors, though, he was tackled from behind. Lucius pinned him to the floor, climbing up his body. Possessive hands stroked over his still very slim hips and back before his husband's lips trailed kisses up his neck.

Panting, Harry turned his head and captured the blonde man's lips with his own. "And you said you were getting old," he teased, a cocky grin stretching his lips.

Raising one eyebrow, the blonde man nipped at Harry's lower lip. "Cheeky little thing," he mumbled before he kissed Harry in earnest.

Laughing into the kiss, Harry flipped over and wrapped his arms around his husband's neck. "Grumpy old codger," he teased back, pulling out the tie that held back the silky smooth white blonde hair that he loved so much and burying his finger in it.

"Old," Lucius replied, pulling back and bracing himself on his arms above the ebony haired boy underneath him. "You weren't complaining last night."

Forcing his features into a serious mask, Harry reached up and cupped the man's face. "I was faking," he replied, pursing his lips to keep from smiling at the outraged expression on the blonde man's face.

Looking affronted, the head of the Malfoy family sucked in a deep breath. Harry's eyes danced merrily at the expression flicking across the man's face. His merriment turned to heat, though, as Lucius's hands slipped underneath his loose t-shirt and stroked over his still flat stomach. "Faking?" he asked as his hands quested higher.

Lucius's fingers gently teased Harry's nipples, making the boy's hips buck involuntarily. The small nubs had become almost unbearably sensitive since he'd gotten pregnant. His eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head when Lucius leaned down and nipped at his neck.

He moaned and sat up, pushing his husband onto his back before he stripped off his shirt. Licking his lips, he smiled down at the elder Malfoy and straddled him. "Oh yeah," he teased, his nimble fingers making quick work of the buttons on the front of Lucius's black dress shirt. ", Completely faking."

The blonde's hands reached up to stroke over Harry's sides, his large hands nearly being able to circle the boy's slightly ticker waist. His face softened, his blonde hair spreading out on the pale wood of the floor. Harry pushed his glasses up on his nose and leaned down, unable to take the look that was creeping into Lucius's eyes. The cold, flat grey had started to melt; looking so much like Draco that Harry felt his heart squeeze painfully.

When Lucius's arms wrapped around his body and pulled him tightly against the large, immovable strength of his chest, Harry buried his face against the silky smooth skin of the Malfoy's neck. "Mmm," the blonde rumbled noncommittally, trailing his fingertips up and down the boy's spine.

Harry bit his lip as he caught a hint of the fabric softener the house elves had switched to mixed with his husband's aftershave. His stomach rolled and he tried to push himself up. When Lucius held on, Harry bucked and covered his hand with his mouth to keep from getting sick on his husband.

The blonde rolled out from under Harry in one swift move, making Harry's tender stomach rebel harder. Horror flickered over Lucius's face as his husband was sick all over the beautiful wood floors of his entry way.

"Harry, are you alright?" he asked, slipping an arm around the boy's shoulders and supporting him as he continued to dry heave.

Catching another whiff of the scent that was driving him insane, Harry pushed the blonde away. "God no," he rasped, his head hanging low. "Just give me a second, I'll be alright."

"Just stay here," the blonde said, sitting back and snapping his fingers to call the house elves. "Call the healer and clean this up."

As the house elf popped out of view, Harry's eyes flew open. "No! No I don't need to see the healer!" he moaned, wiping his mouth with the back of his t-shirt. "I'm fine."

Raising an eyebrow, the blonde looked at Harry very steadily. "Obviously you're the picture of health," he replied dryly, reaching out to gently rub the skin between Harry's shoulder blades.

Pushing himself up, Harry shook his head and sat back on his heels. "No, I'm fine, I promise. It's just the fabric softener," he replied, fighting the urge to clean up his mess. When the house elves appeared next to him, they sighed and snapped their fingers, cleaning up the sick on the floor.

"Fabric softener?" Lucius asked doubtfully, crossing his arms over his nearly naked chest.

Harry nodded, his eyes drawn to the pale strip of skin that was revealed by the man's posture. He had to fight off the urge to push the blonde back on the floor and lick him from neck to knees. At the thought, his body grew painfully aroused and he sighed. "Will you help me up the stairs?" he asked, raising his heated emerald eyes to meet his husband's cool silver orbs.

Slightly confused, Lucius nodded and slipped an arm around the boy's waist. He gently guided Harry up the stairs to the master suite.

"Wait here," Harry said, sitting the man down in the chair near the bathroom. "I'm going to brush my teeth."

Nodding, the blonde waited, crossing his arms over his chest. "When you're through, you'd better give me a very good reason why I shouldn't call the healer," he replied, leaning back in the chair and settling in to wait.

As quickly as he could, Harry brushed the taste of vomit out of his mouth and washed his face. He looked up in the mirror as he was drying off the smooth skin that was now clearer and more beautiful than he'd ever seen it before. In the books that he'd read, it had been called a 'Glow'.

"Harry, if you're not out here in two seconds, I'm coming in there after you," Lucius called through the door.

Taking a deep breath, the raven haired boy tried in vain to flatten his unruly hair. It was time. He had to tell Lucius that he was pregnant. He was giving the Malfoy line another child. Unfortunately for him, it was the wrong Malfoy's baby. Rubbing his hand over his forehead, Harry took a breath and pulled open the door to see his husband on the other side reaching for the door handle.

Raising an eyebrow, Harry leaned in the doorway. "I told you, I'm fine," he replied to the question on his husband's face.

Looking less than convinced, the blonde reached out and slipped an arm around Harry's waist. "Come on, let's get you to bed," he said, leading the raven haired boy to the large four poster bed.

Harry sighed and let his husband settle him in. When the blonde started to take off his shoes, Harry rested a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Lucius, I'm fine. Trust me," he said softly, cupping the man's face in his hands. "Lucius, I'm pregnant."

The blonde wizard blinked at him for a few seconds, not comprehending what he was hearing. When the light finally came on in his eyes; a smile, that was so happy and bright that it nearly hurt to look at, spread across the man's face. "Pregnant?" he asked softly, reaching up to wrap his arms around the boy's waist.

As tears of shame trickled down Harry's cheeks, he nodded and forced himself to smile back. "Yes, Lucius, I'm pregnant," he replied. When his husband stood up and tugged him to his feet, Harry went willingly into the arms of the man that he'd sworn his loyalty to.

When he was drawn into his husband's arms and his lips were claimed in a tender, gentle kiss, a sob pushed its way up through Harry's chest. He broke the kiss, wrapping his arms around the man's neck and burying his face in the warmth of his husband's skin. His nose began to run as he cried harder, blocking out the scent of that damn fabric softener.

"What's this? Why are you so upset, Harry?" Lucius asked, stroking his hands over the smooth skin of Harry's bare back. "This is wonderful news. Don't worry, everything will be fine. I promise."

At the tender words, Harry's emerald eyes looked up into the stormy grey ones that he'd woken up next to every day for the past year almost. "I l-l-l-love you, L-L-Lucius-s-s," he hiccuped, pulling his husband down for another kiss.

"I love you too, Harry," the blonde whispered against his lips, gently tugging off the thick glasses that were sitting crooked on the boy's nose. He leaned forward and nipped at Harry's lower lip before he eased him back onto the bed.

As his husband started to slowly make love to him, Harry's tears dried and he gave himself over to the elder man. Lucius may not have been the love of his life, but over the months, the Malfoy man had carved out his own niche in Harry's heart. Harry promised himself that he would make himself into the perfect spouse for Lucius in penance for the betrayal that he was going to commit.

"Dr-" he started to moan as he felt the man's body slide easily into his own. He looked up, into the grey eyes of his husband and froze for a second.

Lucius blinked at him for a second before he leaned down and kissed Harry, stopping any further words. "I love you," he whispered as he set a slow, easy rhythm.

Harry arched up into his husband and whimpered. "Lucius," he moaned, all thoughts of his first love pushed out of his mind by the tender caress of the boy's father.

/End Flashback/

8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8*8

Thank you to my Beta, Phoenix for her support! You're a really super fab lady. :)

Sorry about the length of time between updates. Things have been a little crazy lately and my muse just hasn't wanted to listen to me. Hopefully, this latest chapter will tickle your fancy a little more. I certainly love the cliffie in it.

Review! I love to hear what you think. :)

Lee


End file.
